Unshattered Resolve
by Wendigo E17
Summary: After centuries of toil and strife, the Heroes of the Last Safe City managed to press the Darkness from their shores and lead way into a new 'Age of Triumph.' But with the Red Legion's unpredictable strike, the Heroes of this City are forced in a bitter battle of survival in a war against conquerors that have never known defeat.
1. Prologue

**A/N: First of all, I would like to thank you all for the interest and for taking the time to read this! I know it has been quite some time and that the last time I posted a story here was nearly two years before with the Lieutenant story. **

**In light to that, I would like to make a few things clear: this story takes place in an alternate universe and the events of _The Eternal Storm, The Red Capital_ and _Lieutenant_ are not involved here. While elements of these stories may remain, their role in the narrative here will be limited.**

**This story has been the creation of two years of planning, and while I am still in the writing phase, I am pleased to present you with the prologue to Unshattered Resolve.**

**Good reading!**

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**Rooms of Inquisition, the Capital**

**The Last Safe City, Earth**

**21st of November, 3217**

The hallway was long.

There were only six lights along this course: a sharp and penetrating as they scattered the dark that otherwise would have left those who tread the path blind. The dark however was still there. It pulled at the corners where they light was not, as if it were a lurking beast that was waiting for but just one unaware moment to strike and steal its place.

It was an odd place to consider the position that existence itself was place. Existence itself always seemed to battle with legend.

And existence was always true.

But legend was always promising.

Three figures walked across the long hall as it were side-by-side as they made their way to the end of the hall. A chorus of steps echoed across the dark concrete walls and ceiling as it created an effect that made it seem an entire battalion was on a parade.

It was understandable. At least Commander Zavala believed so. He himself recognised the power and responsibility he carried was more than enough to stand against even a few hundred men. The same applied to the Warlock who paced at his right, and the Hunter that skulked to his left. Individuals of incredible power.

Guardians. The protectors of the last remnants of Humanity. The vigils of the denizens of the Last Safe City on Earth. Individuals who have been gifted with the Light of the Traveler and brought back from the dark void to stand and bring Light to a world—a system—that had far too long remained in the black.

Titans were the first guardians, the constructors of the Wall and the City's instruments of war.

Warlocks were scholars and philosophers, the tenders of the City's growing libraries.

Hunters were the trailblazers and explores, sent forth to reclaim the land that Humanity lost in the Collapse.

Commander Zavala turned his head to his right. His gaze first fell upon the Warlock: Ikora Rey, as she turned back to look at him. Commander Zavala saw the arc that swirled in her eyes, and it seemed to him that she needed to communicate her concern to him. The Titan sighed, as he shook his head as he immediately captured the glance of the Hunter to his left: Cayde-6.

"I know." Commander Zavala wearily replied to a statement Ikora had not said.

"Uh, know what?" Cayde asked curiously, as his blue glowing eyes scanned over the silver armour of the Titan: "Was I just hearing something?"

"Perhaps." Ikora stated flatly, "Though I thought you only talked."

"I have pretty good 'ears,' too." Cayde sighed.

"Then you just do not know how to listen."

"Please." Commander Zavala interrupted Cayde before he could even speak.

The three figures stopped just short of the end of the hallway, where the frame of a thick silver metal door stood idle. Cayde looked away from the two other Vanguard as he focused solely on the metal door that divided them from some other passage. It was evident that even Cayde could feel the oppressive shackles of mystery and fear that secured themselves around his ankles.

They were not here because they wanted to be.

It was merely due to that responsibility they all shared.

"We..." Commander Zavala paused, recognising he was not even sure what to say: "must be united for this. Speak brief but speak sure."

"So, I don't talk then?" Cayde asked.

"We all speak." Ikora responded, "He will know if we are being... 'truthful."

"Lying? I thought you both don't—"

"Cayde." Zavala interrupted once more, "Do you understand what we need to do?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Cayde muttered, "I got it."

Cayde hardly ever surrendered so easily. He always found a way to break free from many of the duties and responsibilities that he was obliged to keep. He was expert at handing the paperwork to unaware servicemen that had their own duties to attend to in the Tower. He always found a way to sneak out his caches to Guardians he favoured with his trust, rather than devoting his knowledge to the Forces of the City without any favour to ask in return. Commander Zavala always prayed that Cayde would have changed through his duty as a Vanguard Mentor and act as Zavala supposed he should have.

But even with all that, Zavala was hoping now and just this once that Cayde would have not given in as easily.

"We step in, then." Zavala stated with as flat a tone he could manage.

The metal door immediately activated, as a sole green light shone as the doors slid apart and granted the three Vanguard entry into the room. Zavala took in a deep breath, before he entered first into the singular room with a head held high and a triumphant step. He was followed by Ikora and then Cayde, as they organised themselves around Zavala as they did before.

The room had a single table set upon into a room whose very character seemed to be an endless black aside from the one light that rose above the table. The light only conformed to the shape of the long rectangular table, and nowhere else. No corner could be made out from the black, no wall nor the ceiling and floor. It was a psychologist tactic that Zavala understood all too well.

Two arms reached out from the opposing side of the table, from a figure that the three Vanguard did not see before. Zavala was shook he could not detect this being beforehand, but a quick glance between his two companions made it clear he was not alone in that thought.

The arms came together, as hands and fingers locked together. They were human in appearance, as fingerless gloves revealed pale fleshed fingers that escaped from grey and blue coat arms that covered the rest of his skin. The knuckles flexed, showing the metal armour that sat upon the top of the hands.

Zavala could not say he recognised the figure even now. But his vision turned up to eyes that suddenly appeared from out of the black: white lights that contested with the intensity of the ceiling light above.

_No_, Zavala thought quietly, _this is no Guardian I know._

"Commander Zavala, Ikora Rey and Cayde-6." The figure spoke, in a cool and an uncaring voice that feigned some sort of courtesy it knew it was betraying: "Please, take a seat."

Cayde immediately complied, as he kicked his legs compulsively onto the table before the gaze he received from the being on the other end of the table chastised him to lower them back onto the floor. Zavala sat in the middle seat, as he he kept his gaze solely on the parts of the being that he could see.

Ikora however still stood. She closed her eyes momentarily, "What happened to you?"

Zavala eyed Ikora cautiously. He knew as well as she did what Ikora meant, though it was evident from the sideways glance Cayde shot them that he did not.

The being remained silent for a while, as the anxiety-creating silence was eventually broken by the being: "I have been chosen to speak with you today."

"We understood." Zavala spoke immediately, with as equally a cold tone: "Please, what do you wish to speak about?"

"My Benefactors wish to extend their sympathy for your losses." The being continued, somehow managing to respond to some degree Zavala's question: "And Our mutual joy in the awakening of the Traveler."

The three Vanguards remained silent for a while, surprised by what the being said. They almost wanted to speak, as eventually Cayde broke the rank and 'responded' to the statement: "That's all? Well, thank you then—"

"Cayde." Zavala reminded the Hunter, as he stared at Cayde with warning eyes that had only been levelled but a few times before on the Hunter Vanguard.

The being spoke with unmatched sharpness, "You have been engaged in new fields, raising war against threats you feigned to imagine from before the City fell. My Benefactors watched with unmatched interest, and with mutual interests We approach you now to speak in detail about what you understand and know."

"Your questions will be answered by any local networks." Zavala responded, "It has been recorded in the detail you have requested."

"No." The being corrected Zavala, as the Vanguard Commander was immediately taken aback. He stifled his protest as he simply stared at the being he could not quite see from across the table. The being reached one hand back into the dark, before he lifted it back into the light along with a single black cube that he immediately slid it across the table to the three Vanguards.

Zavala glanced down to the letters carved carefully into the cube. Letters that shaped a name. Immediately, Zavala lost his breath as he swung his head back up to the figure in shadows with a furrowed and angered brow. Cayde only looked at the box for a second, before glancing back again as his eyes widened in surprise and exhaled sharply in surprise. Only Ikora stared at the box, unwilling to remove her look from the box as she closed her eyes after a while and shook her head.

"How did you—" Zavala attempted to demand, before being interrupted.

"That matter of detail is irrelevant, Commander." The being said, speaking about the cube before returning to the topic: "My Benefactors already understand the battles you all fought, the detail the Vanguard has released to the public have been thoroughly analysed and accepted by Us."

Lifting up a datapad, he placed it on the table as the screen displayed several logos: Owl Sector, the Hidden and several classified and redacted information images followed by a flurry of text. Zavala immediately made out what he saw: this figure somehow managed to breach the City's network and stole information past the sectors that lay in wait for any attempt to swoop and execute any attempt to siphon off classified information.

This being was simply waving the fact he had committed a crime and was in complete indifference of the fact. Zavala quietly gridded his teeth, as he then cooly muttered: "And what is not public."

Cayde just looked up in surprise at both Zavala and the figure he could not see. He cleared his 'throat,' before he spoke: "Aha, well... we knew that you took that information, too... yes, we did. So, what more do you want?"

"These records are incomplete." The being responded with an unmatchable level of indifference, "We know that there is more. That is why We summoned you here this day."

"Why do you not ask him, then?" Ikora offered.

"You do not ask Us questions." The being corrected too quickly. The air seemed to heat, as Zavala placed his hands on the desk as the being returned his gaze to the Titan. Ikora now stared daggers into the black, almost as if her vision was refined and bearing a sword itself.

"As much as We respect the integrity of the City and her security interests, unfortunately those who head the defence appear from time to time to make trivial decisions that have costed them dearly." The being mused aloud, "And they seek to place senseless hold on valuable and essential information. Unfortunately, that means We need to betray our interests to maintain that integrity if my Benefactors are ever to truly assist you."

"If your 'benefactors' ever truly did care to share our interests," Zavala responded, "then they would not trample upon what is still sensitive."

Zavala's eyes lowered down on the black cube in front of him: "Neither would they be insensitive to our pains."

"Sometimes people senselessly pick off the scabs of their wounds and create scars." The being spoke, "And when a scar remains, they complain at the horrible injustice that they did to themselves. Choose now: whether you learn nothing, and We merely continue to spectate your useless wailing... or choose to learn and accept the scar and accept Our respect."

"Then what do you want?" Cayde asked, as he leaned his arm on the table and stared into the dark with a nearly new forged laser-like precision. Zavala glanced over to his companion, as he was taken aback by the fire that the Hunter Vanguard managed to surprisingly kindle in a defence of issues Zavala knew he generally did not care about.

"Please," the being responded, "tell Us about Avgust."


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I would like to thank Berna45 for the favourite on the story!**

**So I would like to say that I am generally aiming to release a chapter a week, but I understand that the prologue was quite short so I will be posting this today. Thank you again for the read, and I hope that you enjoy!**

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**City East**

**The Last Safe City, Earth**

**6th of September, 3217**

**An hour following the activation of the Cage...**

Fingers of life tapped against cold, dead stone.

Precious drops of blood brushed its crimson stain against the greyish concrete, the fingers laid still for but a moment.

Violent movements of these fingers broke across the dusted ruins of the rubble, which trapped resistance. The fractured rubble shuttered, shaking from the unexpected uprising. The artificial cruelty and oppression slowly moved, as the pained desperate breaths of life that clawed for freedom.

From the depth of Darkness, the skies of the light shone.

And the light smelled like burning concrete. Metal. Banners.

The nigh-broken shape that had claimed its freedom, now stared at its gift of sight. But yet, something contradicted it's freedom. Some tanget that left the struggle of the shape unfulfilled. Fingers struggled to pull at the helmet that trapped the vision, perhaps corrupted by the shattered visor and malfunctioning head's-up display.

The cracked reinforced aqua-tinted visor shattered and splintered more, as the blood-stained fingers pressed desperately against the helmet. Life billowed from the dead, as the ice coloured eyes darted across the horizon. The already paced heart beat, thumped faster and faster as the bitter sight started to stain its painful existence on the reality of the raised life from death.

Home and Hope.

Conquered.

The useless helmet hit the ash chipped concrete below, as the gray particles unsettled and scattered in the low and warm wind. The fingers of life dropped with its entire appendage, before the loose fingers tightened, as the eyes continued to scan the scene desperately. Life's desperation searched for some discrepancy, some resistance much like itself… to fight against the burn, to fight against the Red.

But the purity of the White Hope burned Red.

The Life, stood still.

The blood covered fingers curled and gripped into a fist: cracking and pulsing with the heat and fury of Life. Pain, real and ever present drew forward, relaxing from lulled and numb gloom it had lurked within. And a staggered breath, pulled in.

"Svarog…?" The Life spoke, "Svarog… can you hear me?"

"I-I can…"

The Life glanced around, as its slouched figure searched for the origin of the familiar and pained mechanical sound. Its eyes spotted the low flicker of a blue light among the gray ruins and through the wisps of black smoke, as the shape of Life scrambled desperately to grab for it. Life collapsed, pain surged through its right leg as it gasped in surprise. The leg twisted uncomfortably out of its regular position, sending latent though real pulses of pain. It bit its lip, the Life nevertheless crawled forward; unrelenting, as it dragged its mangled body toward the star-shaped object.

"A-Avgust…"

Avgust paused, his eyes concentrated solely on the shape of his Ghost. The Titan paused as he saw the shape of Svarod hum softly, before he relented to the apprehension of the Ghost. His leg shaked, his fingers trembled, and his breath slowed. But he held still, as he refused to move despite his instinct that told him to do so.

He waited for Svarog.

"T-the Light… I can't…"

Avgust drew in a hollow breath, as the smoke dusted his nostrils and his throat. He nearly coughed, but weakly resisted. His quivering fingers squeezed the rubble and debris underneath him… but what the Ghost had said, spoke true. Something was missing: faded… decayed. It was as if Death itself wrapped its fingers around Avgust's, blocking communion with the spark of Life that once freely danced.

The Light was gone.

"Svarog," Avgust calmly said, "we... "

He paused, there was nothing else the Titan could say. No statement, no order. It had left him. He did not know what he wanted to say, nor did he know what he could ask. A flood of words washed over his mind, but in the end it contributed to nothing more than senseless statements and jargon. Words from mismatching languages: atakovat', verteidigen, visszavonul... words slowly formed, as Avgust offered a desperate command: "Find a regrouping point."

"I…" Svarog seemingly whimpered, "okay… found one. A Fireteam-no…"

A deafening pause swallowed the noise of the little words that Svarog said, seemingly struggled to process any more information. Avgust watched on in desperation and horror, he recognised the struggle of his friend and comrade. The blue light flickered, before the wounded star slowly picked itself from off the ground: as it floated nigh-lazily before eventually it managed to clear the dust and rubble. Svarog cautiously and slowly floated to where the Titan lied, and offered more: "A survivor, a Guardian… sending a random-access code, requesting immediate assistance."

"Where?" Avgust asked.

"Towards City North, adjusting coordinates rapidly…" Svarog paused, "but you are in no condition to-"

"We are going to City North." Avgust stated simply, again moved his obviously wounded leg to under his body in an attempt to lift himself up from the rubble. Pain roared throughout his body as he attempted to do so, muscles constricted and bones ached as the Titan bit his own tongue to prevent himself from yelled out in pain. He collapsed again, Avgust laid still for a moment.

How could his strength fail him now? It seemed to him to be more than a mere insult, a small problem to be straightened and corrected. It seemed to him to be failure, to be inability. Not too long ago, he could strike anything; feel as it cracked and broke under his might and power.

But now? He could not even stand.

"Avgust…" Svarog responded, "if you die…"

The air grew colder. The Titan's eyes fixated on the Ghost; unshakable attention aroused and the Titan stared. Reality slowly crept forward, as its skulking and ugly existence broke through the smoke and ash filled air. Avgust fully understood what the Ghost said, and that though his statement was unfinished: its end was already communicated.

Death was a reality once more.

"Keep the feed on the coordinates," Avgust commanded, chosen to ignore the Ghost's statement, "try to raise parallel communication."

"Titan, you can barely stand! What good are we if you cannot even fight back-"

"We fight to the last!" Avgust interrupted, as he silenced the Ghost immediately. Svarog floated back, seemingly wearily from the sudden outburst. Avgust paused, moving his icy eyes to look at Svarog's singular blue. Immediate regret befell on the Titan, before he offered a low sigh and said: "Svarog…"

Svarog blinked, "No… no, I understand. I will try, but no promise that they will not trace it back to us."

"Svarog-"

The Ghost opened into a blue orb of light, as digital signals seemingly were drawn in and sent out in a cascade. The light wisped along in the smoke-singed air, as the single curious eye of the Ghost darted around in search for something specific. The Titan lowered his head apologetically, before he glanced back up at Svarog.

Noise: static, unclear… it broke through the low growl of the many fires that surrounded Avgust, before it cleared.

"Immediate- … my Fireteam- 're dea- … twelve civilians, too many- I repeat: immediate assistance is- …" The voice broke over the COMM, as Avgust pieced together the narrative. He drew in one last breath, before he pushed himself to his knees. Svarog turned his gaze back to the Titan, as he narrowed his eye and said: I will let you do the talking.

Avgust sighed, before he spoke aloud: "Guardian, this is Lieutenant Avgust. Keep firm, hold your position if possible and keep those civilians out of sight. I will be there shortly."

The static stopped for but a moment. Then, it roared: "... -Lie … I thought the Van- … the Light- … we?"

Avgust blinked, unsure of the meaning behind the message. He looked at Svarog, as the Ghost then attempted to scrub through the transmission. No success. The Titan sighed before he answered: "Do not worry. We will be there. Lay low."

Svarog closed the connection, before he glanced back at the Titan. The Ghost muttered something, before it said aloud: "We do not have much time then… we have a several kilometre hike across now hostile terrain. And you cannot walk."

Avgust held back from responding to the Ghost's remark, instead having chose to watch as the Ghost drew closer to him. The singular blue eye blinked, before the shape of the Ghost closed back into place. Opening a thin-fanning beam, Svarog scanned over the wounded body of the Titan, before the Ghost muttered: "I will at least be able to help you with that."

Svarog closed the scan, as he immediately began to pour white Light over the wounded body of the Titan. The gash running along Avgust's forehead sealed, not even leaving even the slightest resemblance of a scar. The chest of the Titan started to move, as the bones settled back into place: allowing the Titan to draw in breaths easily. The leg that twisted in pain adjusted comfortably back into place, leaving no indication that it was broken as Avgust moved: helping to lift himself up.

Injuries the Titan was not even aware of became mended and healed, and while pain was not completely removed, as the gentle numb and the occasional sore still rolled throughout his body: it was still far better than what he had been in. It is far better than what he could have been in. Avgust took in sweet, mindful breaths before he scanned the rubble laid in front of him. Spotting the frame of a familiar blue weapon, he paused.

Immediately he stepped forward out of his kneeled state, before he halted and kneeled once more. His eyes scanned over the weapon as Svarog quickly swept in beside him. The Ghost looked at the weapon, before he turned his singular blue eye back to Avgust with an almost seeming expression of concern. Before the Ghost could speak, the Titan reached and pulled the machine gun out from the rubble that had covered it. Dust flew in a slow and sullen cloud as the Titan felt the now-lighter weight of the weapon he had once been so familiar with.

The blue plating peeled or had dented, crushed under an oppressive weight as the once proud iron sights of the weapon had been bent out of place. Several sparks flew from the base of the machine gun as it recognised the hand of its master, as the green and blue lights that lined all over the weapon flickered or had faded completely. The magnetic coils that had balanced the centre of the weapon had oxidised and were bruised from their previous shine.

Regardless, Avgust lifted the weapon back into the carry position he had been so familiar with. The lighter weight of the weapon made it feel odd to him, as parts of him boiled on the inside. He released, breathed and released a deep sigh. Now was not the time to consider the loss of equipment. Instead, he turned his gaze across the rubble littered ground and to the flames bursting through the concrete cracks.

And instead he saw bodies. How he did not see them before, Avgust did not know.

The large, hulking and muscular bodies of Cabal Legionaries and Centurions. The scattered, frail and broken corpses of the Psion troops. A dozen or so human-shaped casualties, wearing the regalia of the City. The Titan painfully counted the total as Svarog turned to see what his Guardian had been facing.

"Avgust…" Svarog sighed, his tone lowered into a near whimper.

Four Titans: whether Exo or Human, it did not matter. Their armour carapaces were broken, their bodies contorted in odd and inhumane degrees. A few held a tight grasp onto the weapons they had been carrying into battle: a Shotgun or an Auto Rifle. At least one broken star-shape, a Ghost, laid dead at the side of one of their Guardians.

Five Hunters: had they been dry-humoured or sarcastic, Avgust would no longer know. Their cloaks torn into tatters, their light armour peeled off them like blistered skin. Two held broken-bladed Hunter knives, while one lay slumped over a wall, the trigger guard of the Hand Cannon balancing the heavy weapon on the finger of the dead Hunter.

And finally, three Warlocks: if they were practical or orthodoxical, their knowledge had fled this world. Their heavy coats were ripped, their energy bonds that once would have shone with life: now dulled dead. All the Warlocks had abandoned their weapons, either opting to toss it to one side or having no real way to defend themselves with guns or swords.

The Titan stood paralysed for but a moment. Svarog spoke again: "Avgust, I…"

"No..." Avgust responded, guessing at what his companion would have said. Two Guardian Fireteams, which were entrusted under his command to… to do what? The Titan struggled to remember past the yelling that rung in his ears of his now dead comrades, to the gunfire… to the quick and sudden silence.

To help the citizens in City East to evacuate. To protect them.

The Guardians could not even protect themselves now.

Avgust drew in a deep breath, as he muttered under poorly veiled anger: "Keep us on track to that Guardian's position. Mark this area for recovery. We will be back soon enough."

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**The Visegrád Dam, City East**

**An hour later...**

The rain cold sky stirred as cutting blades separated the clouds, almost as if they were sectioning them purposefully as the light of Sol thinned and disappeared across the horizon. The second orange sun which stood above the City dimmed, as the White trapped under it slowly burned to Black. There had been light only an hour or so before, but now there was nothing more than an unsettling black. The blades above beamed down white lights, imitated stars overhead as the blades unconsciously shattered and rained upon the City's rubble below. Large metal beetles seemed to float lazily across the scene, likewise as they targeted arbitrary targets below.

Fires burst across the dark concrete, where it would have seemed as if the fuel any fire could have lived on had already been depleted by the burn. Three spotlights lashed across the metal-coated ceiling that the lone Guardian stood under, as he hoped that the bullet-holes that peppered and broke through the roof above would not provide ample space for those who searched for him to spot and target him.

Avgust had hid here for only ten minutes, but it seemed to him as if it had been days. He listened to the Cabal's renderings of the once City-wide announcement system blare with their squeals and snorts. An alien language ran through and echoed across the Walls of the City, which only managed to anger the Titan more and more. The very thing they had used to warn the people of the City to prepare for evacuation from this threat: was the same thing the Cabal were manipulating to bark their orders to the soldiers looking to slaughter.

His grasp around the Thunderlord tightened, as the third beam of light finally vanished and the booming whir of the Cabal Thresher signaled to Avgust that it had passed on. He slowly stood out of the kneeling position, as he lifted his Machine Gun up from the alert carry stance to point it down the collapsed corridor that lead to the outside world. The Titan slowly stepped forward, rolling his foot with each step to make his walking quieter.

The Titan only felt the shivering cold wind and mist from the rains brush across his forehead and felt nothing more. Avgust slowly made his way outside, his lifted weapon scanned the scene with each body turn before he continued across the garage that had once stored civilian transport vehicles. The roof had collapsed, and the several overlooking buildings stood as imposing monoliths in the shadows of the night. Avgust scanned all the roofs for any Cabal footsoldier he could see as he slowly crawled across the rubble-infested garage.

He had to ignore the scrap metal and the deflated rubber that he walked by, as he scanned over the details of a scorched civilian vehicle. Obviously, it was the work of the Cabal as the other three vehicles that should have been parked were gone. Avgust understood the story that happened here, even if he was not there to see it. The still-warm frame of the vehicle offered a brief break from the cold, before Avgust commanded his legs to continue to move.

"Svarog, where is the position?" The Titan asked calmly, as he moved to the other doorway.

"At least two kilometres still." Svarog replied, "It has not moved in two hours."

Avgust paused, before he continued for a bit. He did not want to think about the implications of the other Guardian and survivors being dead. In fact, he could not accept it. "What is the terrain looking like?"

"We are closer to the Visegrád Dam. We are currently at a service repair station for the hydropowered plant, but with the Red Legion having collapsed the dam… it could be difficult getting over." Svarog explained. "They are situated on the other side. Within distance is the Nagyerdő Park. Closer to City North's Airfield."

"Any other route possible?"

"Not that I can see, or that would take a shorter amount of time. The Visegrád Dam is really our only safe option."

Avgust sighed as he stepped underneath the shelter of some damaged concrete and rebar once more on the other side of the garage. The Titan walked through the half-ruined hallway to the metal door which had been blown off its hinges. The embers of a dead fire still heated underneath his feet, as he glanced quickly at the burned or torn folders that contained several papers that were stamped with running ink.

"Have you heard anything about Cabal movements?" Avgust asked, as he carefully stepped through the torn off door frame.

"Not anything, I listen when I have the chance." Svarog said, "But, I do believe this area was abandoned a few hours ago. The last time a Centurion reported in was three hours ago. They do seem to occasionally send in scouts, however."

"Explains the gunship." Avgust muttered. The outside world was again, just as ruined as the interior of the garage had been. The mostly flat streets were decorated with the destroyed frames of a few vehicles: a Cabal tank, three or so Guardian Sparrows and a handful of civilian transports. Several Cabal soldiers laid dead in the street, aside a few Guardian corpses. Avgust swallowed his anger, as he looked away at the fires that had scattered the streets: and the rain that beat against it.

The Titan stepped carefully and listened closely to ensure that there had not been a quiet Cabal gunship in the distance, nor that there had been the squeal of some Cabal. There had not been a sound since the gunship left, other than the rain that pattered and the fire that cracked. Then, he heard it.

The torrent of water that gushed through some obstacle. Indeed, he was close to Visegrád Dam. Avgust quietly stepped closer and closer to the landmark, as the paved streets and dead corpses grew thinner and thinner until there had been nothing more than darkened mud and stones. The Titan stepped closer to the Dam, as he realised the shape it took in relation to the rest of the landscape. It was almost as if he stood along the edge of the bowl, as two trails came at mirrored curves to meet the base of Visegrád. The service station and adjoined streets had fostered a small community: the service engineers of the Dam, mostly.

Then he remembered. He had been there for the building, nearly two-hundred years before. The community of people that gathered around to build and utilise the water to help power the City. It had been a large project. Titans mostly did the heavy lifting and the architecture, while the Warlocks did the mathematical thinking. Hunters salvaged the plans from dams.

It was a monument to unity. To power.

And now it laid in ruins.

The Titan approached the edge past the security gates. The hinges of the gate were broken, and the red and white arm had been torn off and broken into pieces. The security outposts were mostly craters, with shattered glass and bent plastic signs. A series of banners that represented the City were also torn down, left on the mud to be trampled on. Avgust sighed as he stepped closer to the paved ridge of the dam.

He gazed upon the the hole that had been torn into the face of the structure: the metal that was adjusted out of place being beat upon by the rapid torrents that gushed out of the hole as if it were blood out of a wound. "I have no idea how you expect me to get around this." Avgust muttered.

"You've jumped greater distances before. Without the Light, too." Svarog replied.

"And if I miss?" Avgust asked.

"Just hope you make it. The water might cushion the fall, but with how fast it is going… I don't really want to say."

"Comforting…"

Avgust pressed on, as he continued down the paved path with slow and steady steps. He turned his head to look along the chasm between the water and the waterfall he now stood between, as his stomach churned bitterly. He shook his head and walked on, even more careful this time. He slowly reached the wound in the dam, as he looked at the torn and charred concrete which contorted and cracked out of shape; the metal frame that bent from the awful force.

The Titan stood close toward the edge of the hazard; his head turned up to look at the other side of the broken dam. "Schematics… there were interior walkways within this dam." Avgust said, as he lifted the Thunderlord over his head and attached the damaged machine gun to the magnetic locks on the back of his armour.

"There were, but those were simple metal gratings which are likely to have been torn away at this point."

"I know, but how long has the dam been like this?" Avgust asked.

"At least three hours."

"So, do you think the grating and most of the concrete slab that would have been torn off, is torn off?"

The Ghost paused at the question. Svarog knew what the Titan had implied, but even Avgust knew that it was not as simple as that.

"The dam would be broken part by part, until the damage caused the entire face of it to collapse. Perhaps for the moment." Svarog finally replied.

"That is all I need to hear." Avgust muttered, as he took a few paces back away from the edge of the dam. He estimated the distance he would need to cross: about 2.6 metres. He had made longer jumps, but the reality of if he missed this one without the Light… the Titan immediately cancelled that thought, as he stood back 20 metres away from the edge. He drew in a sharp breath, as the Titan started his sprint towards the edge. Long strides, step by step he drew closer to the edge by just about two metres-

Immense, burning pain tore through the Titan's chest in but a moment as he screamed in pain and was thrown forward toward the edge of the dangerous edge. His hands immediately groped the flaming wound as blood filled his hands along with torn skin. Avgust felt his heart beat faster, as the thing throbbed louder and louder in his ears. The edges of the Titan's eyes faded to black, as his body roared in pain. Faded.

Drifted.

Avgust tried to control his wild spin towards the mouth of the dam, as he eventually reached the edge of the plummet into the torrent below. But there was no control, as the Titan desperately grabbed for any part of rebar or concrete crack he could. But the black at the edge of his eyes consumed his vision, as the Titan felt the nails under his suit's gauntlets bend and break.

And then, Avgust felt the gush of cold water as it washed over him as his memory faded to black.


	3. Chapter 2

**The Twilight Gap**

**The Last Safe City, Earth**

**12****th**** of June, 2794**

There was the call of the eagles that echoed throughout the mountain range. A soft but gentle wind that brushed this majestic call across the branches of the tall standing pine trees. In the distance, there was the faint sound of a waterfall. And underfoot, there was the soft and precious soil along the carefully placed paths. An assortment of footprints scattered the soil and left gentle signs of life that had walked among beauty and peace.

There was a flat path, supported by several hand-shaped stones and freshly cut logs that formed itself in the shape of a perfect circle. Several people stood among the edges, watching as the two stood in the centre. Rapid foot movements in the centre scattered the soft and delicate soil. The two beings grappled with each other in the centre, their jabbed arms twisted and turned as they attempted to seize a better hold of the other.

Avgust's amateur movements did not coordinate well with the new assault that his opponent had taken. The larger and more skillful giant sized over him, the two horns mounted on the side of his white and orange helmet standing as obvious reminders of the Titan's accomplishment and prowess. Within a sharp and sudden movement, Avgust's arm twisted out of the hold he had on his opponent. Within an instant, Avgust felt the sensation of being lifted off the ground despite his heavy and imposing platasteel-plated armour.

Within an instant, the Titan was slammed into the soft soil ground as he tried desperately to yank his arm free of the hold his opponent had on him. But it was to no avail, as the opposing Titan held on and threw a powerful punch that shattered Avgust's ribs. The Titan cried in pain, as his opponent let him go and watched as Avgust writhed in pain for but a moment. There was silence throughout the valley, as Avgust attempted desperately to get back on his knees and then to his legs. He ignored the pain; in fact he could not admit pain. Not to his mentors, not to his colleagues.

"Stay on your knees, Titan."

Avgust turned his head immediately back to the gold and silver-armoured Titan that stood as head over the group along the mountainside. The slight breeze moved the Titan's heavy wolf fur cape for but a moment, before it settled, and he stepped forward. "Take a moment to breathe. Take control of yourself. And then, feel your wounds. And most importantly: admit that they are real."

Avgust blinked twice, as he drew in a deep breath and waited. He felt the pain surge through his body as his mentor moved in to stand over him. The Titan spoke again: "That? That is pain. And centuries ago, that is exactly what our people felt. They were forced to their knees, pained and alone. Where once they anointed their heads with pride and glory, the ashes soiled their faces instead. That glory, that honour? Was stolen by _the_ Pain. For centuries they toiled in the Dark. Searching for pity, for hope.

"But they had to admit then, that if they rose to their feet rashly and tried to strike back, they would have driven themselves to extinction. And if they gave in, continued to lay in the ruins of their happiness? Then they would wither and shrink into nothing."

The Titan nodded his head and stayed on his knees as he felt the pain of his wounds recede and fade into mere sores through the assistance of the Light. He noted Svarog float over his shoulder, the presence of hope and comfort. Saladin nodded his head in confirmation, offering a but a brief smile to Avgust. The Titan turned his head back up to the white and orange-coloured armoured Guardian who swiftly moved his massive arm and stretched his hand to offer to Avgust.

Avgust reached up and accepted the hand that was offered to him. He took in another breath, as he nodded his head to his opponent who offered him another opportunity before he turned his head toward Lord Saladin. The Iron Lord smiled but briefly, "So breath… and gather yourself before you take your first step. Control that which seeks to control you and forge it in your Light.

"And rise."

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**Жжжжжж**

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**City North**

**The Last Safe City, Earth**

**6****th**** of September, 3217**

**Four hours following the activation of the Cage…**

Desperate hands wrestled with the rubble and the wet sand underneath its fingers, as the shore spit up water and blood. The faint sound of a fire crackling in the background, and the choking smell of burning wood and gravel. The arms trembled as the figure struggled to bring itself to its knees, as it wept. Pain ruptured through its chest, as any attempt to draw in fresh breath brought nothing but the scratching sensation of sand and smoke.

And it wept.

Fingers clenched together as it cried. The entire body trembled, as sorrow and fear dashed through the mind of the Titan. For one of the first times throughout his entire existence, he felt genuine pain. Genuine fear.

The Titan struck the soil washed with blood and drew in deep and stifled breaths. Fear flared from cold to hot, Immediate anger replaced, before he struggled to overcome his anger. Avgust pulled in slow and painful breaths, taking a few seconds between each breath as the scratching and burning sensation of each pull of the smoke-filled air. The tremble that had filled his body slowed, as each breath become easier and easier.

The tears of fear that brimmed at his eyes faded, as the internal heat of his anger cooled. The Titan sat there on his knees and looked ahead to the fire that rummaged among the trees. Avgust watched as the flames danced, a cascade of bright orange to tempering red. The Titan struggled to form any words as he continued to flush the violent emotions that had seized him. Avgust had done this several times during the five-hundred years he had been a Guardian. But what if he had given in to the emotion? What difference would it make?

_No_, Avgust commanded himself, _not now. There is no time now._

There never was time.

The Titan drew in one last breath before he raised himself to his feet, as pain surged through his body and a cold wash ran underneath the Titan bodyglove he wore. It had been evident that there was water trapped in the vacuum sealed suit: likely a breach in the material. The Titan analysed his figure as he rested his shoulders and sore fingers: undoubtedly due to being lashed around in the torrent of water.

Then Avgust noticed it: the casing of his Vanguard breastplate had been broken by a round of unknown calibre, and his right shoulder pauldron had been ripped off. The thighplate that had covered his right leg was now missing along with the sidearm holster that had been attached. Now the missing plates exposed the servo-joint wires and broken supplies, that had covered the damaged Golden Age bodyglove that he attached the Titan armour. The Titan blinked as he clenched his fists.

"Avgust…" The Titan turned his head toward the Ghost he had just hoped was there. Svarog stared back. Avgust immediately knew that something had troubled Svarog, as he replied with a bit of a cough: "How far off target are we?"

Avgust chastised himself, _That is your first priority?_

"We are currently 4.7 kilometres off target." Svarog responded, "But… no, Avgust we can't take any more risk. I shouldn't have... "

Avgust stood by silently. He spoke slowly, an attempt to divert the conversation: "What am I looking at—"

"We're going to be taking another way around—"

"We do not have time." Avgust replied calmly, "Either it is through here, or we are not going to be reaching—"

"Through that forest is nothing more that Cabal kill teams! I am not going to let you throw yourself at certain death!"

Silence trickled. The Titan simply stared at the Ghost, as he slowly stepped up to Svarog. The Ghost's features shifted, as he showed his complete unwillingness to step away from his position. Avgust knew that look, however: "Svarog, have you heard anything from that Guardian since last communication?"

"Lieutenant…" Svarog paused, and collected himself: "I haven't heard anything for the past three hours…"

Avgust stood still, as the Ghost started to float towards the Titan. Svarog glanced around, as if he was searching for something before, he returned his singular eye toward Avgust: "Nothing…"

The Titan sighed as he stepped closer towards the flame as he smelled much more clearly the thick scent of the burn and felt the slightly more the flames lap at his cold skin. Avgust turned his head back toward Svarog, and replied: "Svarog, if we take any longer…"

"Avgust…" Svarog responded, as he lowered his tone. Seconds passed before the Ghost spoke once more: "You understand as well as I do…"

"Yes. I do." Avgust responded, as he swallowed his fears and offered nothing more than shaken determination: "I understand as much as you do… but if we do not move through that forest…"

"Avgust, what does that mean if you die before you even get there?"

Avgust drew in a deep breath as he stared at the path he dared to cross ahead. No, he knew that Svarog was right. Several times he threw himself at threats that meant death. But certain, irreversible death? Yes. The Twilight Gap claimed the lives of thousands of Guardians. The Great Disaster saw the causality of nearly everyone underneath his command.

_But Fireteam Argus?_

"It means the attempt was made. It means that the those kill teams may be distracted from any other Fireteam. Any other Guardian." Avgust responded, "If you feel safer walking around, Svarog I will not question it. But if we have not heard anything from that Guardian for the past three hours, no risk is too great at this point."

The Ghost blinked, as his upper 'crown' lowered into an expression Avgust could only explain as a frown. The Titan knew, because he saw that look from nigh a hundred times. He spoke once more: "Your decision."

Svarog sighed, before he pointed his eye back toward Avgust. The Ghost eventually remarked: "Avgust… okay. I'll try to trace the teams positions. If you keep low and keep fast, then we should be fine. But if that fuel hits you Avgust…"

"Understood." Avgust paused, as he tested his servo joints. The lights of his suit flicked from an orange light to a low and weak blue. He shook his head, before he turned his gaze back toward Svarog: "And Svarog?"

The Ghost blinked.

"I..." The Titan finally said, before he reached behind his back. His fingers wrapped around the handle of the Thunderlord, as the magnetic locks that cradled the weapon released. He lifted the machine gun over his head and back down into carry, as he considered what he could possibly say.

"I need your help," the Titan responded awkwardly, "can you keep track of the Cabal?"

"I will need to monitor my taps." Svarog replied, "If I stay on their network too long, they might notice that we are not Cabal."

"Thank you, Svarog."

Avgust looked through the blaze one last time, as he lowered himself into a low squat as he prepared himself for the run. He had run five kilometres several hundred times before in his plasteel-plated armour, but through a burning forest?

The Titan grunted; he had been through worse.

Tapping his fingers along the Thunderlord, he started with his run. The servo joints of his armour whirred and cried under the new level of stress, before the sixty-kilogram armour moved into motion. The heavy footsteps crushed the twigs and the leaves and eventually reached the ash, as the cold of the water eventually evaporated into a blistering steam. The cracking heat, like a whip echoed through his ears.

He continued to sprint. He listened to his heart beat faster and faster, echoing like the steady staccato of gunfire… and eventually, the high-pitched squeal of Cabal stood in his ear. Avgust did not stop running.

The Titan vaulted over a collapsed tree which cracked with flame, and landed on the loose soil and ash which scattered and flew before he threw himself through a small group of trees which broke immediately from the force as ambers singed his skin. He continued his run, as Svarog spoke with a whisper over the flame: "One kilometre, and the Cabal noticed movements. They are trying to prepare a response."

"Time?" Avgust panted, as he rolled off the trail and headed through the new clearing formed by the flames.

"What ti—"

The squeal. That squeal. The click of slug shotgun as it prepared to fire.

Avgust rolled his body in the direction of the noises that should have not been there, as he raised his Thunderlord into the firing position as instinctively pulled the trigger. The machine gun wailed in some sort of pain, as it began to discharge the silver projectiles that flickered occasionally with arc-energy. The volley of bullets slammed into the breastplate of the Cabal Legionary, cracking through the black and red paint as the alien shrieked in pain and flailed. The black oil of the Cabal spat out like simulant blood, as the alien toppled backwards into its allies.

"Avgust!" Svarog cried, as Avgust continued to fire the Thunderlord at the remaining three Legionaries, who managed to gather their nerve and fire at the Titan. Evading to the left and finding cover from behind the rock found, as the arc-powered slugs of the Cabal's shotguns. Avgust breathed out as he yanked a free grenade from off his utility belt, praying silently that the weapon had not been neutralised by the water as he primed the explosive.

"Clustered?" He asked, watching hesitantly the red light that flared on.

"They are attempting to flank: two right, one left."

Avgust nodded his head, before he rolled his massive shoulder and hurled the grenade with the spoon pulled towards his right. The metal dinged across the hot stones, as the immediate squeal of alarm from two Cabal signalled at least obvious concern. An explosion that rocked not even ten metres away from him that sent a slug shotgun sailing over his head.

He breathed in. How many times he has done this, he could not count anymore.

Rolling over to the left, he aimed his Thunderlord at the sole Red Legion soldier… but the beast had just been immediately in front of him. Avgust attempted to ram the machinegun into the Cabal's throat but gained no ground as the creature merely grabbed the weapon with its grubby fingers and attempted to wrestle it from the Titan's hands with a strong pull. Avgust frowned, as he pulled the trigger as the weapon fired randomly into the shoulder of the Legionary before the recoil and the pull of the Cabal managed to actually wrestle the weapon out of his hands as it let out a roar in pain as it stumbled back.

Avgust pressed the advantage before he rammed himself into the Legionary, his shoulder breaking into the stomach as its pressure suit split as air broke through much to the surprise of the Titan. He pressed on, slamming his knee now into the breach before securing his large arms around the neck of the Cabal. The Red Legion soldier recoiled and attempted to retaliate against Avgust.

Avgust launched his body forward, bringing the Cabal on the ground as he twisted its neck. Within a second, the cracking of the bones of the creature ringed through Avgust's ear as the resistance of the Cabal ceased. Stepping off the body of the Red Legion soldier, the Titan whisked over and pried the Thunderlord from the dead creatures grasp as he breathed out a command: "Get us moving!"

"The biosignals from those Cabal we just killed were the first in over four hours, and it's got a lot of attention—" Svarog responded.

"Stay focused!"

"I'm trying! We have a few drops and bridges; I am trying to match our movements—"

A sudden light flashed overhead, a bright single beam of light that surrounded Avgust as immediately two other spotlights concentrated directly over his position. Immediately the Titan took off, dodging under the burning branches of trees as slug projectiles traced after him with explosive results from behind. The servo joints of his armour whined louder and louder, almost as loud as the beat of his heart.

"Found something!" Svarog shouted over the explosions, as Avgust nearly breathed out to tell the Ghost to just continue, "There is a hole at Avas!"

"How far?"

"Half a kilo!"

The Cabal gun repositioned and instead fired in front of Avgust's position, as the Titan hurled himself to the right in order to avoid the fire that erupted from the explosion as he continued to sprint forward. He turned his body to his right as he continued to run forward, lifting his Thunderlord towards the three-headed spotlight that had targeted him. Taking a single pull of the trigger, two bullets from the machine gun splashed against the side of the gunship that was chasing him.

Avgust grunted, as he continued to sprint forward toward the place that Svarog had designated. He needed to find a way to distract that gunship, as it could continually track his movements it was becoming a very dawning reality that even if they made it to Avas that the Cabal could continue to track his movements. The Cabal kill teams that were hunting Guardians could just meet him at the other end of the hole.

"Can you scramble the gunship?" Avgust yelled over a nearby explosion, almost a demand instead of a question.

"The network is buzzing," Svarog replied frankly, "I think they figured out—"

An idea began to form.

"Perhaps that is a good thing." Avgust muttered, as he slid underneath a broken branch before he launched back to his feet. The thicket of trees began to prove that the burn the Red Legion started had not completely engulfed the forest. The smoke began to fade, as Avgust completed his thought: "Ping our location, loudly."

"What—" Svarog started.

"The trees will provide cover enough," Avgust interrupted, "scatter your pings as far as you can!"

Svarog sat in silence, as the spotlights from the gunship frantically attempted to search for the Guardian through the thickening foliage. The Cabal that piloted the gun still attempted to strike at Avgust with the gunship's turret. There was no doubt in Avgust's mind, that the Cabal were calling on the kill teams now to assault the position that he had last maintained, but now that he was a slight invisible?

Svarog caught on to what Avgust wanted, "I am tossing our signals in realistic positions… in seventeen different ways!"

The lights of the gunship faded, as it chased along another position headed eastward. The Titan continued to sprint towards the Avos, as he prayed only that his ruse was going to work. He breathed out between growing and tiring breathes a sigh of relief, as he spoke: "Are the Cabal following us with different units?"

"I can't tell," Svarog responded, "the Cabal are running on different channels now."

Avgust stared ahead, as the trees began to clear into some water treatment facility. His sprint slowed to a jog as he cautiously lifted his machine gun into firing position as he reached the coasts of the forest into the water treatment plant. He scanned the burning horizon, the sight of City North and its airfield. The clearing was in the shape of an oval, and on the other side was the rest of Nagyérdő followed by the industrial city. It seemed almost too peaceful, a surprise to Avgust. He figured that the Cabal had just completely bombarded and burnt every part of the City, but it appeared the water treatment plant was untouched.

Had they just targeted the areas where City inhabitants lived?

"So, you are hearing nothing, then…" Avgust sighed, "keep eyes, then."

Avgust slowly walked into the clearing towards the untouched sanitation facility, as he darted his eyes around the facility. There were a series of six silos that had likely contained just water, attached to several pipes and two single-floor buildings. It appeared gray, with touches of yellow and blue. Nothing more.

Far too peaceful.

"Is this Avas?" Avgust asked.

"Yes," Svarog responded, "According to the schematics, there is a single maintenance tunnel that connects City North and South."

"Why did you not mention this before?"

"Guardian COMMs had stated the Cabal has claimed this area to all City Emergency Broadcasts…" Svarog paused, "I just trusted that."

"Water does not catch fire easy."

"Perhaps some Guardian was intentionally misleading the public. Svarog responded, "After all, the Cabal captured the emergency broadcasts.

The Titan sighed, he figured that one would just cross reference the Cabal battlenet and the emergency broadcast… but he knew the Cabal had a bad habit of just imagining that distress on the part of their enemies means they are successful. A lot of memories to the Rubicon Front at Meridian Bay, when the Guardians would signify falsely on local networks to pretend they were in distress and careless Centurions charged in with their teams to waiting Guardians.

Whether or not it was stupidity or hubris, it was uncertain.

Avgust continued to walk at an alerted pace as he continued to scan the horizon, as he continued toward the facility. He closed into the near two-hundred metre range of the facility, as he muttered: "So something changed your mind, then."

"I figured that even if the Cabal has burnt it, there would still be a mode to escape through those tunnels."

He reached within one hundred metres as he eventually came to a halt to analyse the facility momentarily. There was not even a scratch within its features, as he begun to approach slowly forward once more. Avgust quickly glanced over his shoulder as he aimed his Thunderlord for firing once more, before he noticed the silhouettes of three Cabal gunships floating lazily toward his position.

Avgust turned immediately on a heel as he started a sprint to the facility, "Schematics?!"

"The City networks are not responding anymore!" Svarog cried out in surprise.

He headed to the first building he saw, vaulting over the series of yellow and blue pipes and turning around the shape of one of the silos as he spotted a singular green aluminum door. He threw himself into the door to crash through the entrance, as it knocked off its hinges and fell to the ground with a low thud. Nothing but service desks, and a few loose pipes and tubes. His eyes quickly fell on a metal grate that was bolted into the floor.

Avgust swung the Thunderlord over the magnetic locks on his back, as the sound of the gunships coming within proximity was undeniably close. His fingers locked between joins in the grate, as he tore with a strength only known to Titans. Explosions and cracking fires echoed as the heavy metal grate lifted off the concrete it was bolted to.

Windows shattered and the world became nigh unbearably hot. Avgust tossed away the grating, as he tried to lift and throw himself into the pipe system before an explosion rocked from behind him and shoved him into the hole as his leg caught the ledge and twisted as he tumbled head-first into the pipe below.

He struck the cold and wet accessway floor as he felt his arm cripple underneath him. The heat breathed above, as the Titan laid perfectly still. Avgust breathed a few breaths of adrenaline that he still had, as the pain from his leg and his arm surged to reality again. The star-shape of Svarog materialised over him, as the Ghost analysed his injuries. Avgust sat patiently, as he struggled to press himself up into a sit. He held his now-broken gauntlet in his left, still-moving hand, as Svarog sparked with light momentarily.

"They must have confirmed you dead three times by now..." Svarog breathed as he poured Light over the body of the Titan, as Avgust stood upright on sore leg and flexed sore arm. Avgust tore off the broken gauntlet that had protected his right arm as he let the armour piece fall to the cold metal floor. Pulling off the shape of the Thunderlord from off the magnetic locks on his back, Avgust examined the weapon… he noticed now the heated metal contorted a bit as a result from what had just happened only moments before. The blue paint had completely faded and chipped from off the face of the weapon that had been burnt by the explosives.

Avgust held back a curse, before he turned his head in direction of the pipes that lead to City North. His eyes fell back down on the weapon in his hands, seeing now some new extent of damage. Several electrical conductors had been scratched and in case of one of the transistors destroyed. The Titan thus deactivated the electrical Arc capacity of the Thunderlord, before he took his first steps down the path that led to City North.

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**Жжжжжж**

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**Aboard a Cabal Carrier**

**In orbit around Ganymede, Satellite of Jupiter**

"They call it Ganymede."

A holographic sphere, coloured as the orange of a flame flickered its low and cunning light across the darkness. Within the dark and cool chamber, the light battled so brilliantly against the dark. It was as if it was the ongoing war. One extreme against the other. Two contrasts placed within the definite shape, trapped and contained within existence itself. This war would continue… it always continued.

Either the light exterminates, or the dark overcomes. But there could be no absolute, as there never was before. Even in the light, the shadow was cast. Even in the darkest of places, the pin of light always remained.

War was nature. It is life.

One either chooses to stand atop the hill conquer, or to be tossed as a corpse to the bottom of the deepest pit. There was no compromise.

"Ganymede…" A voice responded. Upon a low sat throne set atop a single step up from the main court floor, the voice curled his massive fingers together into a strangling fist before he separated them again and spanned the digits into individuals. "Interesting names, these creatures do give simple planetoids."

"Indeed, my Primus." The first voice nodded. The eyes of the throne sitter looked down at the shape of the who spoke. He noted the several the warrior who stood before him on the court floor, holding a large Slug Shotgun within its grasp. This was a divergent theory from typical relations between superior and inferior, the Primus found. They inferred the presence of a weapon in their Courts was a sign of hostility. But to the Primus, it was welcomed. Because it was war.

And war was nature. It was life.

"But it is what we found to be the most suitable for our operation." A third voice joined, sat upon its own throne on the step lower than the Primus'. A member of his Court, his High Command. Its feeble shape, but ornate headdress marked it as one of the Primus' trusted Psion Commanders, an excellent engineer and tactician: an Immuni. "Rich in the architecture of the Praecessors."

"Indeed." The Slug Shotgun-wielding Cabal remarked, "The information captured by the Legions stationed on the planets named: 'Mars,' and 'Mercury,' has shown to be rather resourceful regarding our design. We can find no better opportunity in this system, other than this planetoid."

"If indeed the Dominus believes we should start here..." The Primus smoothed, "how soon can we start our construction?"

"My Primus." The Cabal dutifully replied, "We estimate that as this planet is silent with Praecessor activity, and the Defensor resistance being eradicated faster than what was previously calculated…"

Yes… the Defensors. The Primus' mind drifted for but a while as he considered the threat these creatures had posed to the Cabal Legions. He had indeed read the reports, time and time again. The abilities these mock warriors called upon, this so-called 'Light' that they wielded with ferocity. The bloody 'Rubicon Front,' as the Cabal traitors had called it. While indeed these soldiers had been capable and fair fighters, they at times found humiliating defeat at the claws of these 'Defensors.'

These creatures who called themselves 'Guardians.'

The Primus took what the Cabal had said as a sign that the Dominus' assault on the refuge these Defensors had called 'The City,' had indeed went well. A success. A plan of particular cunning, the Primus knew. The Dominus was always swift to crush that which attempted to crawl to the top of the hill, and rightfully threw their broken husk back down into the deepest pit. His plan to capture this 'Light' had confused the majority of the Cabal within the Red Legion, but the Primus understood it thoroughly.

Such power in the hands of the Red Legion? Even the Primus awed at the possibilities. It was theirs for the taking. And so, the Dominus had taken.

And now these Defensors would be left to the Black, that snapped its vicious teeth at those who lied crippled in the bottom of the deepest pit. And the Cabal, would stand victorious atop the hill.

"Indeed, this planet could be prepared for full-scale conversion of our purposes within the next two days. And afterwards, we can see full completion within the weeks end." The Cabal finished.

"Excellent. Prepare the _Intercedent. _We will begin the conversion immediately. This planetoid will become the Throne for the new Empire that our Dominus shall establish. And we shall be the ones to oversee its construction. Dutifully." The Primus announced, as he rested his massive hands upon the rests of his seat.

"And as for the remaining Defensors?" The Cabal asked, "What shall we do?"

The Primus moved his lips underneath his helmet and rebreather, as the cleft-lip curved into what would resemble a Cabal smile. He muttered quietly: "Bring them to the Court. I shall see them personally."


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: I would first like to thank jsmulligan for the follow and the two story reviews! **

**To answer your question about the reason that I decided to do an AU, there are a lot of specific reasons but indeed changes to the Cult of Osiris are one of them. There are going to be a few changes to the overall story of Destiny and Destiny 2 as well, but there are also significant changes to the characters that I have had throughout the series. That is why I decided to make this story and all following in a specific alternate universe.**

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

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**Жжжжжж**

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**Water Maintenance Tunnel-4A**

**Heading in the Direction of City North**

**Five hours following the activation of the Cage…**

The cold metal and concrete pipe was almost like a perfect cylinder. Water brushed gently across the curved sides and pooled nearly perfectly at the bottom. The steps upset the water, and sent it splashing against the sides as the unsettling sound echoed against the cold walls. Avgust had hardly ever walked through terrains like this, in fact he could count the number of times he had on a single hand. He understood a lot of the cautions of these situations, it was never advantageous to be in a self-contained tube with only two directions.

He even preferred a bridge over a several hundred metre fall.

Avgust kept his Thunderlord raised and aimed, taking several steps before checking his rear and his front consistently. He did not have his helmet anymore, and so attempting to read movements without his Heads-Up-Display and its accompanying motion tracker and so he had to rely quite a bit on the traditional way.

Svarog suddenly clicked, as Avgust came to an immediate halt.

"Odd…" The Ghost paused, "all communications are cut. Forces of the City, Red Legion… everything."

"Could just be how far down we are…" Avgust said, before he continued to walk forward.

"No, it is like we are in a bubble." Svarog explained, "The signal did not just fade or become weaker, it just stopped. Completely."

There sounded like there were steps behind him. Avgust stopped and turned his machinegun toward the sounds behind him. It was just as possible that it was an echo of his own steps, but it seemed to him to be too delayed. There had to be something behind him.

The air held still, as Avgust stepped back slowly as his footsteps echoed through the muffled splashing of the water. He timed it; it was not even a second before the sound came back to him. He waited an additional second… there were four footsteps that followed in contrast to his three. He played an anxious game, trying to determine whether each echo was quieter or louder.

Then he heard the gnashing of teeth.

Avgust turned immediately and started to an all-out sprint, his servo joints whining in the sudden frantic demand that was weighing against it. He heard the sudden growl and snarl of the creatures behind him, as he heard it growing closer and closer. He could not turn around and shoot, he knew if he did it would be a waste before he was mauled to death and burst his ears in the process.

The Titan battled with the calculations between the immediate and the timed. He had never faced these creatures before, but he remembered how they slashed his allies to ribbons with claws and teeth. To die a final death like that seemed to him more humiliating than being struck dead by a slug rifle or broken into pieces by explosives.

"Solution?" Avgust choked as he continued to run.

"No idea!" Svarog replied.

The Titan continued to sprint, as he swore, he felt the first breaths against his back. Avgust stared ahead, recognising immediately that there was some scaffolding that appeared to have been supporting the accessway and the entire pipeline. Avgust panted but pushed himself to sprint faster. He swung his Thunderlord over his shoulder, locking it into place on the magnetic locks.

His heels slid as he reached the scaffolding, stubbornly halting in a slide as the Titan swung around to face the horde of Warbeasts that had chased him. He threw up his fists, tightening his right hand into a rigid ball as the metal plating that still wrapped around his fingers. The first creature jumped upward from the gathering crowd of twelve or so creatures. Avgust launched his fist, striking the muscular creature as the bone underneath its helmet sprained and the muscle bruised. The Warbeast however did not relent, still slashing with its claws through the midsection of Avgust's armour.

Avgust cried in pain as his skin pulled into tatters, and blood painted the floor and the wall. He cried in pain, as he felt tempted to keel over and allow his opponent another opportunity to strike. Instead, he contained himself as he struck with another fist that doubled the injury as instead: its jaw unhinged, and it's left eye popped out of its skull. The creature then slumped to the ground momentarily, as Avgust landed a foot into its exposed face as it the servo joints left an explosive impact that sent the crippled creature tumble back into the horde.

Avgust snatched a metal bar from the scaffolding that weighed in his hand, as the support beam tore wooden planks and sent water spurting out of the exposed metal pipe like an exposed wound. The second and third beasts rounded, whimpering from the sudden spray of ice-cold as they launched at the Titan. Avgust swung the makeshift weapon, striking one across its armoured head as it dented and twisted before he reeled back the weapon and thrust it like a spear into the head of the third. The sickening breaking of bone as muscle and skin peeled out away, the black oil and crimson blood gushing out like a second fountain as the Titan backed away from the horde that had been reduced three members.

Water began to chip away at the damaged concrete, as the gushing water intensified as the metal continued to bend out of place. Then there was a horrible sound, the seeming cracking sound of dozens of low-yield explosions that rocked across the wall as the pipes cracked and concrete split. Avgust watched as ice-cold water exploded from the breach he exposed and further down the line, as streams struck the horde as the Warbeasts screeched in shock as they slouched to avoid the offending stream that gushed from the broken pipeline.

The Titan hesitated for only a moment, before he immediately turned heel and started in a sprint once more. Avgust knew what was bound to happen once the pressure finally burst: the entire accessway he was in would be flooded in a nigh tidal wave. Concrete pinged off his armour as he heard the confused growls and roars of the Warbeasts that were separated from their prey by the water. An explosive burst of water broke through the pipeline, as it crashed against Avgust. The force of the water through him off balance for but a moment, as the cold liquid sent immediate shock through his nerves as he gasped desperately for renewed breath.

Avgust however pressed forward, making out through the spray of the growing pool reaching now at his knees: a solo ladder that led upwards. He did not know if this was the actual end, but rather a manhole that allowed maintenance workers easy access into the service tunnel. There was a louder 'growl' that grew to Avgust's left, as the Titan heard a momentary pause before a deafening roar.

Avgust slammed into the concrete wall to his right, his armoured body beginning to drown under the indescribable amounts of water that now would have reached his waist. He wanted to yell out in pain, but only inhaled bitter tasting water. He could not give into his pain, not now… sluggishly, he pulled himself above the water as the now determined current attempted to pull him further away from the ladder he had spotted. Avgust waded through the chest-high water, his steel-toed boots digging into the metal and concrete under his feet as he reached out metal bars now only a metre away from his grasp. The bitter water burned as it washed into his wounds, causing the Titan to grind his teeth.

Pain yelled in his shoulder and upper back, undoubtedly from his collision with the wall. Avgust's fingers brushed against the ladder, before he secured an undoubtable grasp. He used this hold to pull himself closer to the ladder, securing his second arm as he started to pull himself up the ladder. Moment by moment, second by second… he managed to wrestle himself from the water that would have otherwise certainly drowned him. Avgust spit out some water that still dripped into his mouth, as he ignored the pain before pulling himself up further and further

There were only forty bars that he had to wrestle his armoured body up, before he reached the grating that represented his escape. Avgust reached up, weaving his fingers through the holes of the grating before he shoved it off from its place. He took in a deep breath as he pulled himself slowly outside of the storm drain into the smoke-filled air once more. Avgust turned his gaze around quickly, seeing that he was secured within another facility much like the one he had been in within the water treatment facility.

The Ghost materialised, as immediately it scanned over the claw marks that tore through his armour and bodyglove. Standing upright, the Titan rolled his shoulder as he felt Svarog's Light ease the wound and repair his pain. Avgust reached over his shoulder to pull the machinegun free of the magnetic locks, as he rested the weapon in his hands once more. Avgust asked quietly, "City North?"

"I do believe so…" Svarog paused, "but… what is this?"

"What?" Avgust cautiously asked, examining the room further. He had grown paranoid, it seemed as he recognised that the room was completely empty. Avgust remained silent, as he noted that the Ghost had been taking his time.

"That bubble?" Svarog responded, taking time it seems to make calculations: "It is gone."

"Svarog-"

"Wait a moment." Svarog interrupted, "I am translating this for you."

"_Lieutenant Avgust?" _

Avgust paused. It was the voice of that Guardian. The Guardian he had promised hours ago to regroup with and protect: his objective. An overwhelming sense of relief washed over the Titan, as he managed somehow to ease his shoulders as he stood still. He nodded to Svarog to continue, understanding completely now what that 'bubble' could have potentially been.

"_This is Guardian Horvin. I'm sending a priority communication to Lieutenant Avgust. Respond immediately if you received."_

"Can you raise safe communication?" Avgust asked.

"This message is sent on a multi-leveled, one-way messaging system." Svarog paused, "Even if I wanted to, it would be impossible."

Avgust paused, he wanted to inquire how that was possible and even if it was: why then would Horvin use this method if he were looking for an answer? The Titan looked to the Ghost, as Svarog offered what was easily interpreted as a shrug. Svarog looked as if he was going to respond, before he paused. Avgust simply stared at Svarog, as the Ghost expanded into a blue orb of light as he began to scan again.

"Wait… one moment." Svarog repeated himself, "This Guardian, he is clever. The message is overlaid with random binary. He is not asking us to respond."

"Then what is he asking us to do?"

"He is asking us to follow the coordinates."

Avgust paused as he quietly pieced together what Svarog had just said, as he analysed the room he stood in closer detail. There was a dust that lightly lined the floor and the cracked concrete that had been disturbed: footprints that separated away from where he stood. No, it was evident that someone was here before. Avgust quietly mapped it all: why the water treatment plant was marked as a hazard when it was not, why the radio 'bubble' existed and prevented that scrambled every signal… and now this communication disguised as coordinate data?

This was the path that this 'Horvin' had followed. And not too long ago.

"We are close." Avgust muttered.

"I…" Svarog paused momentarily, "yes. We are not far away; they are positioned at just 500 metres away from where we are now. How did you…?"

"Keep focused."

Svarog dematerialised in a flash of blue light as the Titan slowly made his way to the door of the facility. Reaching the door and sliding the dust intentionally as he walked, Avgust reached with his right hand to push open the door that lead back into the outside world. The cold air beat against his face, a near unfamiliar feeling considering the blistering hot or uneasy warm he had felt nearly the entire day. He gazed around as reflexively he brought his right arm back to bear as he lifted his weapon up to a firing position.

The buildings here were sparse it seemed, but these buildings seemed to slouch in some sort of despair or depression. Fire sputtered from the broken windows, coughing a dark smoke that blended illy with the night sky. Dozens of low-lying buildings dotted the landscape, as Avgust very quickly identified these as the hangars that the City utilised for their air vehicles. At his feet was indeed gravel and soot and occasional green blades of grass or muddy weeds that were stomped down by either the Guardians or the Cabal. The Titan scanned his horizon, as he quickly determined it was abandoned and he was most certainly alone.

Avgust remembered a lot of his time in City North: the capital of transportation of the City. Guardian Fireteams would organise here to depart on their way to the reaches of the City's influence. Hawks were prepared, stocked and fueled for long expeditions and after a long series of final checks before takeoff. He had stood on these platforms many a time as a new Guardian in his service as a Ranger of the Pilgrim Guard, again as an Elite of the Vanguard and later as a Lieutenant who led Guardians much like himself into the stars.

Those times might as well have been considered gone.

"That flight control tower." Svarog finally said, "The coordinates lead there."

Avgust recognised the gesture as he locked his eyes on the tall lopsided tower, that had very clearly sustained structural damage along its spire as a result of the war that had been brought against it. The communication array bellowed, and many parts of the spindly metal grid had already crashed to the ground below along the ocean of shattered glass that it appeared to be drowning in. Immediately and hastily, Avgust jogged over to the structure as he checked, and double checked his flanks. The gravel and soot transformed quickly into cracked pavement and glass: clearly unfit for the service it had been designed for.

His eyes finally broke away from the shape of the tower before he scanned his surroundings further. Avgust very quickly slowed his pace, as he looked at the collection of random shapes that drowned in the sea of broken things. There were several bodies, again divided between the Cabal and the Guardians and Forces of the City… but among them there were the corpses of civilians.

Male and female. Human, Exo and Awoken. Of all ages from either young or old. They all laid dead, mauled bodies.

Anger pinged throughout Avgust as he paused for a moment from his jog. He looked at the people he was sworn to protect, and yet had not been able to. They were dead far before he would have been able to involve himself. He breathed in, attempting to relax his now tense and rigid muscles before he continued in a slow walk. Avgust promised within himself that he would avenge those who were murdered by the Red Legion not just to the Guardians earlier, but now doubled to those he protected.

Within mere moments, Avgust finished his walk across the glass sea as he approached the door that granted access to the damaged flight-control tower. He analysed the door, recognising that it was eerily pressed in and uncharacteristically dented with its accompanying bullet-proof window shattered. The Titan stepped through, as he stepped in cautiously into the hallway as he recognised another body: a Warlock. Avgust quickly looked over the body, as he quickly recognised that she did not die in distress.

No, she died in some form of peace: an odd departure from the deaths that he had witnessed.

Avgust lifted his Thunderlord back into a firing position as he followed the oddly designed path. More shattered glass, broken computers and processing units that sparked occasionally in sync with the flashing emergency lights that ran on the emergency generators. Avgust snuck through the facility, rolling his feet with each step as he muffled his own steps. The Titan followed the hallway he had walked so many times before, as eventually he came to the end of this strange trail.

A single door ended the path. It was sealed and sustained only minor damage. Avgust paused as Svarog materialised over his shoulder, the Ghost anxiously looking at the door with his single blue eye. Avgust turned his head to Svarog, as the Ghost nodded his 'head.' The Titan turned heel, immediately facing the other way as he paced backwards carefully toward the door. Avgust kept the Thunderlord raised, as he reached his arm and knocked on the door with his knuckles a total of three times.

His heart pounded as he heard a shuffle from behind him. Three seconds passed before Avgust heard the door slide open.

Followed by the click of a handcannon, that he felt pressed against the back of his head.

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**Жжжжжж**

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**The Praetorian Court**

**Along the Coasts of the Endless Ocean**

**Ganymede, Satellite of Jupiter**

The rain was silver.

Cracks formed across the sky that seemed to shatter across sharp coasts that cut the clouds that dared to form in the low atmosphere. These dark gray clouds were torn to tatters, being split and flayed higher and lower than their original course dictated. The clouds bled with silver blood, striking the surface as a creature that cried. The white and green surface seemed to wash with that 'blood,' as lightning clapped in the distance as some form of violent applause. It seemed to the Primus as if this planetoid-this place-required this violence. Perhaps he thought too much on this issue, and that these natural phenomena rendered a different purpose. But the floor he stood on however was painted over with red and black: free of the natural form that decorated the rest of the landscape.

The broken landscape.

He breathed in the metal-scented air, that tinged with the strange buzz of oxidation. The Primus wanted to shake his head at the damaged sight but relented. Instead, he turned his head the way of that which his people built… that which they corrected. His brow lowered and focused on these 'things' that were with him.

There were four figures, that struggled against the muscle mass that held them into place in the u-shaped 'court.' A variety of shapes, each different from the other. Two wore cloaks, the other wore robes and one was in suitable armour. But what did not change was the burn marks across their colours: the tears in the fabric they wore and the breaks in the metal that decorated their bodies. What did not change was their weakness, nor their injuries.

The Primus was told long ago that these 'Guardians' were the honour of the City that they so claimed to defend. But seeing them broken and defeated, without a semblance of any form of suitable fight: no. They were not proud warriors or defenders. They were as greedy as the Eliksni themselves, who clamoured and stole from those that were greater than they.

The Primus felt as the silver rain hit uselessly against his heavy Centurion armour, brushing the brussels that made up the decorations of his ornate armour. The Primus reminisced for but a moment about this armour which he wore. The forged and refined detail of his armour remarked for his accomplishments enough, the gold and red tones over his grey armour chassis: the honour he exhibited, and the lives he had claimed.

He pursed his lips, as he stared out at the broken skyline. He stared at the scarred surface, at to the parts where the planet's surface had been, and up to the sky where the surface had broken free. Stretches of lands that spanned from 50 to over 100 kilometres sat trapped in the gravity well of the planet. They looked more like dark and imposing clouds in the distance, but to know it was silver and jagged rock and metal?

The Primus wondered if this is what the ruins of a battle of the gods looked like. And whether this moment defined the passing of a failed deity, or a failed people.

"I wonder why your Centurions would seek to send you so far beyond your own Walls." The Primus mused aloud, "And why just four?"

The Guardians did not answer, though they did however freeze. The Primus understood perhaps why: perhaps they did not expect a Urant like himself to speak their language, or perhaps they did not expect him to know about their City. The Primus snorted, "They usually send your teams in six, or three. And usually they keep your quaternios within the rings of rock. So why?"

The Primus turned his gaze away from the broken sky, before he paced closely toward the Guardians being held down against their will. He turned his attention toward the armoured figure, having just assumed it was the leader of the quarternio: the heavier the armour, the more important the individual. Such was the nature of the Urant, and it had yet to be proven wrong in the Primus' experience.

"And why so far down within a Vex network?"

"You ought to stay your forked tongue…" a cloaked thing growled, as the Primus slowly turned his gaze toward the cloaked thing.

"Ah, so you do speak." The Primus tisked, as he approached the smaller frame than that who wore the armour. It appeared to be feminine in shape, as these creatures had unique morphology. The aged Urant thought it curious, that they should feel so inclined to dare speak out of line. It showed that they lacked discipline.

And lack of discipline broke warriors. It made them bodies.

The Primus clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, a Urant signal that implied to inflict pain. The Centurion that held the cloaked beast under his hands obliged and turned the arms of the Guardian to the point where they snapped liked reeds and bled. The Guardian cried in pain, as the Primus approached it.

"But allow me to serve a reminder of where you kneel." The Primus responded sinisterly. He returned his attention back to the armoured Guardian, before he asked again: "Why are you here?"

The Guardian struggled, before it halted. It turned its small head toward the Primus, as it attempted one last, but fruitless time to break free. Eventually, the armoured creature offered a brief statement: "Patrol…"

"Patrol?" The Primus sighed, "I find that hard to believe. No, you have received assignment from your Centurions."

The large Urant wandered toward the armoured creature and stopped only a pace from it as he mused silently to himself. Had the creature completely forgotten what fate had befallen its companion? Whether it had been bravery or idiocy, it did not particularly concern the Primus. He waited with the bit of patience that he could, before he sighed: "Tell me what you seek."

"To understand." The Guardian replied vaguely, as it lowered it's head in some form of symbolic gesture of embarrassment.

The Primus scoffed as he turned his head toward the Legionary that held this Guardian in its hands. The Urant clicked his tongue again, but instead for the sound of 'release.' The Legionary immediately obeyed, allowing the Guardian out of its hands as it stepped back and lifted its slug rifle to the firing position. He stared at the creature longer, as he eventually shook his head.

"You seek to 'understand..." The Primus growled, "that is no answer. You are mocking me…"

"Why would I?" The Guardian responded in self-defence.

The Primus paused, as he turned his gaze back to the other three Guardians that were being held against their will: "I figured that was obvious. Even the simplest of organisms understand to bite back when cornered."

"Isn't that what we all do?"

"Your questions are pointless." The Primus stated bluntly, "I will not suffer my time be run by incompetence."

The Guardian lowered itself, keeping its hands and knees on the ground as it kept it's gaze on the floor of the constructed court below it. It seemingly froze under the scrutinising glare from the Primus. The aged Urant stepped only on foot closer to the released creature, as he continued: "And unfortunately, there are consequences for those who decide to mock my time."

The Primus clicked his tongue again, two simple short notes that even the young of Urant would understand: 'execute.' Immediately, the armoured frames of the multiple Legionaries that held the other three Guardians against their wills were lifted and immediately dragged toward the edge of the court that overlooked a dangerous and sharp cliff that proved a several hundred metre plummet into the silver oceans that led through jagged coasts. The sole survivor of the Guardians turned its head in horror, as one by one its comrades were dragged to the end.

There were desperate cries of the horrified creatures that were certain to meet their ends, as the Primus merely watched on. He then turned his head down toward the sole claimed survivor, as he sensed the despair and anger that radiated off his armoured frame. Eventually, the cries of the Guardians and the shouts of joy among the Urant faded into utter and absolute silence with the occasional sounds of the rain that pinged across his armour.

The silence persisted for a moment. That utter, deafening silence that reminded the Primus of the cool that followed the end of a victorious battle. He eventually breathed aloud: "And this, is the fate that awaits the rest of your pathetic race. 'Warriors.' 'Guardians.' Sifting through the ashes of your worlds that ought to have remained abandoned… you struck with ferocity for a time against our kind, promoting your feign sense of bravery and ability born from powers that never belonged to you.

"Your kind was never anything more than parasites, festering and feasting on the corpse of a God you insist you defend. Your pathetic stand against us has proven the limits of even the powers you claimed in your palms, now rightfully stripped from your incapable possession. It was better you were left writhing in the Dark, left clueless to the fate that has been assigned you by fallen leaders and broken formations.

"Guardian…" The Primus chuckled as he loomed over the shape of the Guardian who trembled in the looming shadow of the Urant, "now fate has left you to me."

The Primus turned his head to the sentry of the Cabal Legionaries who posted themselves back into place after their dealing in the execution of the three Guardians. The old Urant grunted, as he directed them to take position around the still captive Guardian, who lay paralyzed on its knees as he spoke to his troops in Urant: "Secure this creature and take it to the Inner Sanctum. It shall have 'conversation' with our Psions."

The Legionaries huffed in an affirmative response, as the four creatures surrounded the Guardian as its one handler stepped forward and seized the creature by its arm before lifting it up helplessly to its feet. It did not even resist, as it was directed towards the expanding Fleetbase that the Urant set busily to construct and complete. The Primus watched as the Guardian was dragged away as the silver rain continued to patter against his armour, the sound tapping gently on his helmet.

The Primus turned his vision back to the floating lands that stretched far away and far above the surface of the broken moon. At this point, the Primus was all too convinced that indeed the planet was torn into pieces as a result of a battle of the desperation of a deity and its people. That desperation was the deserved fall and failure that resulted in an honourless and decrepit society of degenerates, that greedily reached out to touch worlds that they had lost the possession of. In this manner, Humanity was not too far removed from the Eliksni… but at least the Eliksni were clever and learned in their art.

Humanity however relied on misunderstood and improperly used power. Their hubris was insulting to the spans of the universe itself. And now on the wounded planet they sought to mend and restore, they were forced once again to bitterly swallow the pain of humiliation and of desperation that they experienced already once before.

He would personally see to that.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Apologies for the wait, but this chapter will be long. I may be taking a small break from this story as I develop what will be the end of the 'first act' of this story, so if I do not post for this story for a while, it is not because I have lost interest, it is just I want to make sure I am done with chapters before posting. Thank you all of those who read this far!**

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**Жжжжжж**

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Avgust held still as the cold barrel was levelled against the back of his head, as he waited for but a moment. It was simply not possible that the Cabal had dared to utilise a human weapon that would barely fit it its grubby fingers, nor would there be a desperate enough survivor that would pull the trigger and kill a definite ally. Nonetheless, the Titan felt the chill that naturally accompanied the reality that a weapon had been put against the back of his head… and that impossible reality that accompanied the knowledge that the death would be permanent.

"Lieutenant Avgust?" The unmistakably Scottish accent asked, placing a strange elongation on the 'u' in the Titan's name. Avgust nearly shrugged, a neutral gesture that seemed to immediately disarm the tension. The barrel of the weapon was lifted away from the back of Avgust's head, as he eventually lowered his Thunderlord and turned back to look at the Guardian.

He was undoubtedly a Hunter, his cleaner light armour tugged against his bodyglove's mesh that blended in light browns and dark greens: a forestman camouflage. Several soft pouches adorned his waist and chestplate, and his knife was sheathed along his left shoulder. His cloak was long though tattered, as the hood lay folded on his shoulders. His helmet was removed, revealing ruddy facial features and a short mess of darker red hair and a twin set of blue eyes on sunburnt skin.

"Affirmative." Avgust responded, "Horvin?"

"Horvin Connovick." the Hunter responded as he waved an arm to invite Avgust into the room.

The Titan obliged, stepping into the black that was scattered with a few dim though functional displays as he made out several shapes that curled in the shadows. Undoubtedly the shapes of the refugees that the Hunter had been dutifully protecting for the past five hours as they shifted and turned their heads to the second Guardian who stepped forward to offer protection. Avgust scanned quickly across the faces… nine faces. Avgust's stomach dropped and turned in both pain and anger. No, he remembered that there were originally twelve civilians…

No, he could not focus on that. Not now.

Out of the nine refugees, seven of them were humans and two of them were Awoken.

Of the humans there was a collection of individuals from greying hair to brilliantly dark black hair. A child on one end of the spectrum, likely not anywhere older than ten years of age to the oldest who was likely over two-hundred years of age. Male and female, the Titan quickly gauged that three of these individuals were a family. The child was between the arms of a male and female, who were carefully attempting to soothe the cries and silence the whimpering. The others appeared to be random: the aged man aside two females of different ages.

Of the Awoken there was a single man and woman. The Awoken man had white hair atop a lightish-blue skin, and the woman had a purple complexion and dark blue hair. It was evident that they were Earthborn based off of their rough, City produced garbs that stood in sharp contrast to that which the Reefborn wore.

Avgust's focus now was on their survival, no matter the consequence or the cost.

"Sorry for the tight fit." Horvin responded, before he pressed past Avgust and approached a static-filled monitor as he tapped on the surface of the device as it flashed and changed into an idle blue display. Avgust watched it carefully, as the Hunter appeared to pull up a manifest of several hangars that were fanned out from the position of the control tower. Horvin carefully though quickly guided his fingers, as he located one of the hangars as he tapped on in twice as the full manifest began to load.

"The Red Legion hit us hard after we last spoke," Horvin stated simply, "we were forced to move. We met with a Warlock who promised us that there was still a transport Hawk stationed here in the aerodrome before she…"

Avgust could sense the wavering in the voice of the young Hunter, as he quietly made the connection between the deceased Warlock in the hallway and what Horvin was saying. It was also evident that a few of those civilians that disappeared laid in mangled corpses outside of the building. The Titan nodded his head: "I understand. Have you been able to find anything on the manifest?"

"Not yet, I have been spending quite an amount of time removing shrapnel from the terminal… just barely got it running before you arrived. You've got any weapons, sir?"

The topic change seemed odd, but it was a well-reasoned concern. Avgust simply bobbed the Thunderlord in his hands. It quickly became clear to the Hunter that this was Avgust's only weapon, as Horvin directed with his hand to a wall that was covered in racks. The Titan glanced over in the direction Horvin pointed, as he quickly analysed the contents of the rack that had received a manner of damages. Located on the rack were several types of boxed ammunition, a weapon tuning kit, a Marshal-A1 auto rifle and a damaged pulse rifle frame.

"Sure you are used to the luxury of a vault, but this is the best we have."

Avgust nodded his head as he lifted the machine gun over his head once more before he secured the weapon onto the maglocks before he slowly approached the weapons rack. Avgust turned his head down on the two Awoken that sat close by. He kept his gaze locked on the two civilians for a while, before they returned their attention to Avgust. He stood by, before the female Awoken broke the silence: "What has happened to us?"

It was an odd question, as Avgust reflected on it. It must have been abundantly evident to everyone in the City: they were attacked. They were caught off guard and sent into flight from their home. But that was not the question.

"We were trespassed upon." Avgust responded, "Wounded. Wronged."

"W-what are we going to do?"

Avgust stayed silent for a while before he bowed his head, "We are going to find a place to gather our strength. And then we are going to strike back."

The Awoken looked at him with a strange curiosity as she watched him pull free the auto rifle from the weapons rack. Avgust checked over the weapon, as he brushed a thumb over the ejection port as the dust cover responded immediately to the touch. The Titan was all too familiar with the weapons of the City, and the Marshal-A1 was no exception… it was the weapon he had used in his earlier years. Pulling free a few magazines from the rack, Avgust meticulously attached these to the available soft pouches on his armour before he lifted up the final magazine and slid it carefully into the auto rifle.

The ammunition counter flicked to life as Avgust activated the weapon, as he rested the weapon into his shoulder as he switched the safety on. He turned back to Horvin, as the Hunter finished tapping the display as the information and the text stabilised and stood still. Horvin quickly turned his head back to Avgust: "Found it! It'll be a little jog, but we can be out in the next ten minutes we'll be clear for take-off. We have a turret emplacement on the roof as well, but it is reporting as slightly damaged."

"Any idea of the Cabal enforcements in the area?" Avgust asked.

"I've taken some time to secure the local networks," Horvin started to explain, "I've been running a loop on all communication cycles in and out of the area of City North. Cabal, City: whatever. Thankfully, the little brutes down there don't seem to have any clue about it and additional troops haven't been deployed for quite some time now. Nothing should be changing."

"Unless there is visual from one of their Warships…" Svarog suddenly said as he materialised as the Ghost quickly scanned over the monitor: "in that case, we'll be having problems."

"Most of the ships already cleared the area, they're chatting on the network to form defensive positions on City Centre. If that's the case, then there'll be no need to worry about that."

"How many units are on patrol here?" Avgust then asked, as he redirected the conversation to his original question.

"I've been tracking around three teams… so we will be seeing about twenty or so Cabal. I can't get a reading on where they are specifically, but if they are taking the normal patrolling patterns we've seen on Mars." Horvin explained, "So they'll be fanning out until the outer perimeter of the aerodrome until they evacuate."

"Have they been scanning the hangars?"

"If they have," Svarog warned, "then if they find that Hawk we'll be losing our ticket out of here."

The two Guardians went silent as the Ghost scanned between Avgust and Horvin. Svarog lowered his 'brow,' as he continued: "Those ten minutes will not mean too much if the Cabal find us either on the way there, while we are there or when we leave."

Svarog had introduced a fair point. The reality of the situation was evident: the Cabal soldiers had very capable weapons and soldiers and the moment that either of the Guardians attempted to confront one would prove to be incredibly dangerous, especially if they were being supported by nineteen other Legionaries… an idea began to form in Avgust's head, as he turned to Horvin and the survivors: "What weapons do you have, Hunter?"

Horvin tilted his head, "A sniper rifle and handcannon, sir."

"Keep range, rifleman." Avgust cryptically said, "If there are twenty or so Cabal soldiers patrolling this area, we will need you to keep eyes on them. I will move with five of the civilians, and we will move quietly to the hangar. Once there, we will immediately see them into the hangar and Svarog and I will start the take-off procedures. I will then secure the turret emplacement, and then from that point you make your way to the hangar. We regroup and transport out."

"And if there is trouble?"

"Then we fight to our last." Avgust gravely responded. Horvin stood still, as his expressionless face seemed to quickly process the information. It took only a brief moment, but the gravity of the situation made it seem as if it was a near hour. It was not an easy decision for anyone involved, and it was very apparent that the civilians were apprehensive… the fact Avgust could feel their fear made him even more upset.

But anger and fear lead to mistakes. And nothing could be afforded at this point.

"Understood, Lieutenant." Horvin responded, "There will be no radio. Once you get to the turret, signal with the optic sensor and we will start down. It'll take two minutes to get to the hangar, we'll be back together in five."

"We will see you then." Avgust responded before he turned his head to the line of civilians. Now came the difficult part: knowing that they would be put in very dangerous circumstances. Should the Cabal intercept them on the way to the hangar then it was certain that there would be bloodshed, but Avgust knew that should it come to that he would throw himself into the way of the fire.

He was going to fight to his very last.

Avgust looked at the line of civilians, as he attempted to displace his own fear and concern. He did not focus on anyone in particular as he spoke directly to the civilians: "Alright… that means that five of you need to come with me."

The Titan watched as the civilians shifted uncomfortably, as his eyes immediately recognised the wounds that dotted several of the innocent souls. How he did not see this before or even take it into consideration before now he did not know; perhaps he was just unaccustomed to the sight of injured and hurt civilians especially after centuries of relative peace and security. Avgust quietly controlled his anger once more, as he noticed a few of the people lift themselves up from their rest.

Both Awoken rose together, alongside what appeared to be the members of a Human family from the youngest child to the older sir. Five in total stood before him, as the oldest among them stumbled on what appeared to be a wounded leg. Avgust's attention turned to him, as the Lieutenant scanned the sir with a sympathetic gaze. It was likely this man could not move fast and would likely slow the group down altogether.

Avgust quickly factored in his response: if the man could not move on his own, Avgust would need to carry him.

"Comrade," Avgust said directed at the man, "come. I will assist you."

"Sir, we need to carry that rifle." The old man responded, "And I'll do my best to follow."

"If you are left behind-"

"Sir, I've been here for two-hundred and thirty-five years. I've lived all my life comfortably behind these walls… and I'm not going to allow anyone to be put at risk for my sake. If I'm left behind, I'm left behind… but you need to be able to aim that rifle in case things get hairy."

Avgust stood in silence as he uncomfortably shifted. He shook his head: "I am not going to leave anyone behind. Not anymore."

The old man sighed, "Sir… don't stick out your neck for someone as close to the grave as me."

Avgust turned his head to the others and noticed the immense look of pain of the peoples he had identified earlier as members of this gentleman's family. He understood very well he could not let that pain become real, as there was enough pain experienced this day. Avgust blinked but twice before he glanced quickly over to Horvin, who to this point stood silently by.

"If anyone enters that grave now, it will be me. Comrade, we cannot afford to wait any longer."

The old man stood silent, before eventually he shrugged and offered: "Just move quick, sir. But if anything comes our way, you better throw me to make sure they are protected."

Avgust nodded his head as he approached the old man and nearly without effort lifted the gentleman over and rested him on his shoulder as he nestled the autorifle comfortably into a firing position. Avgust looked back to the group that agreed to follow him, as he nodded his head towards the door and spoke quietly: "Follow me. Always stay behind me and if you see any Cabal, you let me know immediately."

The group nodded their heads nearly in unison as a few whispered confirmations and understandings. Avgust watched them carefully before he led the way through the door, keeping his autorifle levelled in such a way that he could fill any offensive Cabal with a stomach full of lead. He navigated carefully around the corners and through the hallways, carefully ignoring the flashing warnings lights as he counted the soft footsteps behind him.

Four sets of footsteps. Good.

Slowly Avgust crept with the gentleman slung over his shoulder back out under the veil of the night's sky, as he quickly scanned his surroundings and horizon: there was nothing in view. The Titan tilted his head a bit as a signal to Svarog to open the communication channel with Horvin as he whispered: "Are you seeing anything?"

Static clicked before it levelled: "Negative, sir. I'm not seeing a thing."

"Copy."

Avgust took tentative though cautious steps across the ocean of shattered glass and scrap metal that pooled around the ruined air control tower. He heard glass crack and splinter under his heavy boots, but also under the thin-sole shoes of the individuals that were following him. Avgust eventually returned his focus to the hangar that was their objective, as he quickly closed in on the position that promised to have a transport capable of carrying them all safely out of the City.

_"Sir-"_

Blood cooled as Horvin's voice filled the COMM unexpectedly, as Avgust slowed his pace and turned his attention over to his right as he quickly made out the silhouettes of several Cabal soldiers that seemingly without aim skulked toward his position. From what the Titan determined: the Cabal had yet to spot him or the civilians that were making their way to the hangar. The stifled cry of two of the refugees caused a sudden burn to rise in Avgust's chest.

"Move!" Avgust hissed to the civilians, as he carefully adjusted the weight of the old man on his shoulder as he set to be set between the refugees and the Cabal. He listened carefully to the footsteps that went ahead of him as he kept his focus solely on the approaching enemies as he slowly paced backwards toward the hangar.

"Horvin," Avgust said as he quickly formulated a plan, "keep your aim on one of the jump-packs of a Cabal in the middle of the squad. If they fire on me, you fire on them."

_"Why the jump-pack-"_ Horvin paused as he worked the answer out for himself: _"Nevermind. Got it, sir."_

Avgust counted his steps backwards as he kept his attention focused on the lead Legionary that was making its way toward the Titan. Avgust quickly turned his head back, as he noted that the hangar-bay door was stationed directly ten metres behind him and that the second to last refugee was now making their way inside of the hangar. Avgust blinked as he quickly turned heel and bolted into the hangar, as his eyes quickly scanned over the features of the facility. The Titan helped the old man down onto the floor as his head turned toward the Hawk that sat idly in the centre of the building.

The transport of the Forces of the City was decorated with a white and orange finish, as several logos and decals that indicated allegiance to the City dotted the shiny hull and armour of the vehicle. Avgust turned his head toward the right side of the Hawk, as he noticed that it was held by a brace-like device that had likely been implemented and attached to one of the VTOL-thrusters of the vehicle for maintenance or repair.

His mind went through a flurry as he attempted to detect some sort of terminal that appeared to be attached to the brace. Avgust quickly flicked out his wrist as Svarog materialised and blinked, the Ghost immediately set out to scan the device as he projected a blue beam across the display of the terminal. Avgust then signaled to the civilians with a military gesture before he backtracked and spoke in a hushed though audible tone: "Get behind cover!"

The Titan lowered to a squat as he kept the Marshal-A1 raised and concentrated on the hangar-bay door as he whispered over the COMM: "What is it looking like outside?"

"The Cabal are fanning out around the hangar." Horvin whispered back.

"Are they concentrated in groups?"

"Negative."

Avgust swore under his breath as Svarog quietly returned to his side with a concerned eye. The Titan reached to his utility belt as he tugged on the last fragmentation grenade that adorned his side. His plan was not going to work, it appeared… that means that there were adjustments that needed to be made. Avgust pulled the grenade free as he backed away slowly from the door; the loud footsteps and clanking of metal outside notified the Titan that the Cabal were closing in. It was likely that the Red Legion had started to utilise some form of heat-signature or other vision-assisting tools. Flicking the pin out of the grenade and priming the spoon, the Titan waited very carefully until the steps outside came to a halt.

One heartbeat passed… and then hell was loosed.

The Titan threw out the last grenade he had as it clicked on the concrete outside of the hangar bay doors. A nervous squeal signaled to the Guardian that he had at least caught one of the Legionaries as alerted Cabal roars confirmed this detail, as the warring sounds of the Cabal were soon beat out by the deafening boom of an explosion. It took only a few seconds, but soon enough the hangar walls were pounded by a series of explosive projectiles.

"Lieutenant?!" Horvin cried over the COMM.

"Concentrate on the few targets you have!" Avgust yelled over the combined noise of explosions and screaming civilians as he angled his autorifle in the direction of one of the bulging from the strain and stress of being bent by the Cabal's rifle. The Titan squeezed the trigger as several polymer rounds spat out of the barrel of the weapon and tore through the now thin metal plating, which was quickly followed by the scream of pain.

Over the chaos the Titan could make out the distinct sound of a sniper rifle being fired, followed by the quick accompaniment of Cabal death. Eventually the attention the Cabal formerly had for the hangar was now solely focused on the direction of the air control tower that the rifle's fire originated from.

"Avgust—" Svarog blurted, "the turret atop the facility!"

The Titan's attention shifted as he turned his head rapidly toward the metal staircase that led up to the rooftop. He checked over the position that the refugees stood in, attempting to gauge whether he should stand in position or move to the top… he determined that he could not simply abandon them to secure a better weapon to eliminate the Cabal.

If he did, he would be betraying his duty.

"Nevermind the turret now!" Avgust roared over the firefight, as he turned his weapon in the direction of a now breached wall that was torn to shreds after a constant fire of explosive slug rounds. He made out the shape of a Legionary that had taken to try to slaughter the beings inside the hangar. Avgust cursed to himself as he turned his Marshal-A1 to the hole as he tugged at the trigger, spraying several more rounds at the Cabal soldier standing directly down his line of sight.

It groaned in pain as it's pressurised suit broke and spit its oily substance out of the fresh wound. But the creature reached through before it was finally smitten, as a shield-shaped object shot through the hole and struck the wall directly behind Avgust. The Titan turned his head to look at the shield as it shook violently and started to glow orange as the nigh-deafening cry of a civilian tore Avgust's attention away from the weapon.

How he did not notice the child till this point escaped him. All Avgust understood is that the child was directly in line of what the Titan presumed to be the kill-radius of this explosive.

Everything Avgust did at that point was directed by reflex, as he threw himself over the child as the humming intensified and within a moment there was nothing more than an intense burning pain that scattered across his back. It was clear to him what it was: shrapnel. It tore through his skin as its heat burned and blistered the surfaces it impacted. Avgust could not let himself cry in pain, not now… he bit his tongue as he struggled back to his feet, everything in his lower back contorted as the pain demanded that he stopped moving.

"_So, breath… and gather yourself before you take your first step. Control that which seeks to control you and forge it in your Light."_

Avgust slowed for only a moment as what he learned over five-hundred years ago surged back into his memory yet again. The sound of the battle seemed to lighten as the Titan focused only on his heartbeat as it paced faster than he could count. Avgust breathed in as he relaxed his tense form; he slowly stood to his feet as he tried to pick out the feelings of pain and frustration as he felt his heart slow. He kindled his anger, as he looked down to the that stare back at him in confusion and distress.

"G-get to safety!" Avgust forced out as he stumbled with his first step, the Titan turning his head towards the rest of the civilians as he gestured over to them. The child obeyed, as he lighted to his feet and tore off towards his sobbing and distraught parents.

It was only then that Avgust realised that the gunfire ceased. Much to his surprise, it seemed as if it halted completely. He stepped around uncomfortably as Svarog materialised behind him and started to fan his comforting light over his back. He heard the pinging of the foreign material as it was ejected out of his back and fell to the floor.

"Horvin?" Avgust asked, "Confirm that there is no more weapon discharge—"

The Titan was interrupted as the frame of the Hunter slammed through the opening in the bay door as the four other civilians he was responsible for followed him through. Horvin dropped the magazine from his rifle as he lifted the weapon up again to scan outside.

"Yah, sir!" Horvin replied_, _"But one of the brutes fired a flare!"

Avgust stood dumbfounded for only a moment, before by reflex he gestured toward the Hawk.

"Get that thing operational!" Avgust barked, before he turned his attention to the civilians: "Get aboard!"

"Sir! What are yo—"

"I have the gun!" Avgust interrupted, "Get that brace off!"

"Sir, you'll be torn to shreds by any weapon the Cabal please to bring!" Horvin cried.

Avgust ignored this as he immediately charged up the staircase. The bent and somewhat contorted metal groaned under the Titan's heavy weight as he made the sharp turn that gave him access to the fortified balcony. Avgust focused on the white and grey weapon that stood still, his eyes scanning over the series of bruises that the weapon bore.

Slung over the controls was the body of a dead Guardian: a Titan whose head was missing a sizeable piece. Avgust swore under his breath as a ping of sorrow tore through his chest. Yet again, he saw the body of a dead soldier who had given itself as a sacrifice for the innocent.

Avgust knew fully well that he could be in that position in some time. And if or when he did, there would be no coming back.

Would he be remembered?

Avgust shoved the thought aside as he approached the gun, slowly and gently rolling the body of the departed to the side as he crossed the arms of the dead Titan in a symbolic gesture of peace.

Avgust then moved his fingers quickly over the controls that governed the function of the turret as he took his place in the main seat. The cracked and blood-covered screen flashed momentarily to life as the Titan focused his attention on three parts of the screen: the ammunition counter, the status lights and the embedded radar system.

These turrets had originally been designed and developed decades after the events of the Battle of Twilight Gap as point-defence units that would be manned and utilised by the Forces of the City at important installations and areas vital to City function. During the Battle of Twilight Gap, such units would have provided unparalleled firepower against both ground units and airborne troop transport.

Now it was here: a weapon of defence preparing to see the ones it swore loyalty to flee from the place it was designed to protect.

Avgust shook himself back to reality as he noted the two lights that stood out the most: a red warning light and a standard green light. According to the status of the weapon, it appeared that the left gun was completely disabled due to extreme amounts of damage along with it's joining optical sensor. The Titan shook his head, as he primed the cannon attached to the right as it's optical sensor immediately lighted and the target locator on the screen flashed.

He counted that there were only eight-hundred rounds still loaded into the right cannon, hopefully plenty enough to tear through a Cabal gunship as he flicked the safety trigger off and pulled the priming pin for the right cannon. The gun roared as the barrel started to spin with outstanding speed; the radar pinged and reported that nothing yet had entered within viable striking range.

Avgust tapped his COMM: "Status on removing that cap?"

"Enged is working on it at the moment, sir!" Horvin responded quickly, "Nothing more than seasonal repairs, but we can't guarantee it'll be up and running in a minute!"

"Understood, targets have not flashed in yet." Avgust responded as he tapped the radar display again, "Do you have an estimate for launch?"

"I'd give it nothing more than five minutes, but I'll ask-"

The radar immediately flashed on the screen as Avgust heard the roar of a Thresher in the distance. The Titan quickly read the coordinate data as he primed the hydraulic wheel to turn; the device hummed to life and obeyed the command it was given. The screen highlighted text quickly as red words flashed a clear warning: UNIDENTIFIED CRAFT APPROACHING 180 DEGREE (S) SOUTH.

Avgust turned his gun in the direction of the approaching threat, as he cranked the weapon upward to face the direction of an object, he perceived was slowly emerging from the dark clouds that hung over the City. He lined his optical sensor in the direction as he glanced in the distance and at the screen frantically, as he quickly made corrections to his angle as he waited for the crosshairs on the display to flash its first red.

"Cabal gunships are approaching," Avgust calmly said over the COMM, "Are the civilians safe?"

"Gunships?" Horvin sighed, "They're in the Hawk, sir… if we are struck by standard munitions, they might rock a bit-"

"But explosives…" Avgust nodded his head, "Work quickly, then."

As soon as these words left Avgust's mouth, the display's crosshairs lit red. He quickly read the the distance of the vehicle which was well approaching within eight-hundred metres. The Titan took in a deep breath and made one final adjustment before he slowly started to squeeze the trigger.

A straight burst of munitions tore outside of the barrel of the weapon, as the bullets cracked against the object in the distance. Avgust noted how the rounds seemed to light the darkness that shrouded the hull of the Thresher, as the lighter 'Cabal' vehicle bobbed in the air as its course was changed ever so slightly by the might of the weapon being used against it.

Avgust did not relent as he held the trigger down, as he then witnessed sparks and flames emerge from the vehicle's body. The Thresher's altitude lowered suddenly as it's cannon then turned down to face the weapon Avgust mounted. The Titan bit his tongue as he lowered his aim to match the trajectory of the gunship as he released the trigger only momentarily.

Avgust glanced down and immediately recognised that he had already used two-hundred of the rounds. He shook his head in shock before he continued to fire the stream of rounds at the gunship as the entire vessel rocked and eventually shook itself to pieces.

The explosion rocked the horizon as it sent the armoured vehicle in pieces every which way. The bright light dominated the black horizon only momentarily, but enough to send a signal to anyone in the area that their firefight was still happening. Avgust watched the explosion with hesitation as he checked his radar again:

3 UNIDENTIFIED CRAFT(S) APPROACHING 237 DEGREE(S) SOUTH-WEST, 42 DEGREE (S) NORTH-EAST, 132 DEGREE (S) SOUTH-EAST.

Avgust swore under his breath as he checked the range of the three targets that were flocking to their position. He recognised that the Red Legion was mustering the might they could afford to stomp out what they thought of as nothing more than annoying at this point. Even should they get the Hawk in working condition, they would never be able to make it out if the Red Legion was going to tail them out of the facility.

Avgust swallowed, before he opened his COMM: "Horvin as soon as you get that Hawk functional, you need to take off immediately. The Red Legion is throwing us too many gunships at us to leave that ship exposed. As soon as I clear the air, you are to jump out of City and take these people to the safest place you can find."

"But, sir—"

"No arguments, that is an order."

"Sir, I'll take your spot—" Horvin again attempted to say.

"No, Horvin. We are going to need every Hunter we can get, especially Hunters like you. I will let you know when it is clear to fly, but you take that opportunity as soon as it comes… we cannot afford to delay any longer! Understood?"

There was a long pause on the end as Avgust adjusted his weapon to face the Thresher that was the closest: the one facing the north east as he levelled the weapon and slowly started to squeeze the trigger under his finger.

"Affirmative, Lieutenant."

Avgust opened fire on the target as he kept his aim concentrated on the weapon that protruded underneath the gunship. The bullets fired from stationary turret tore the weapon to shreds as the explosive rounds contained in the weapon detonated with fantastic result.

The Thresher spun wildly out of control as the gunship failed to maintain its altitude. The Cabal ship then took a sudden and seemingly desperate turn downwards as it collided with one of the many hangars that lined the airfield. In the distance, the explosion that resulted from the crash sent burning shrapnel flying every which way as the explosion fanned out into a nigh-fireball. Avgust concentrated his gaze only for a moment before he attempted to turn the turret to face the two incoming Cabal ships approaching from the south.

Then an explosion rocked Avgust out of the turret's seat.

The Titan controlled his spin as he gained his footing from an unexpected roll. He immediately looked up to the turret he had just been piloting and noticed that the machine still seemed functional though without one critical piece: the hydraulic system had been destroyed. Avgust frantically reached up and over his shoulder in an attempt to seize the Thunderlord that had been resting on his back as he glanced up at the two intruding ships.

The Thresher that had hit him had turned up from its run, as it retreated upwards into the dark sky. The gunship paved the way for the more critical vehicle: a Harvester. The Titan watched in horror as the troopers that the dropship ferried jumped out of the ship and lifted their weapons with an eagerness to kill. Avgust attempted to concentrate his iron sights on the several legionnaires, but as soon as he fired a series of rounds an orange energy shield materialised and quickly deflected the projectiles.

The Titan lowered the Thunderlord momentarily as he looked on in horror, as he could sense five rifles being pointed in his way. Avgust ducked behind cover as slug rounds flew over his head, some of them detonating in the air as tiny bits of shrapnel scattered in the air. Throwing up his arm in defence most of the metal shards bounced harmlessly off his gauntlet, Avgust swore as he flicked on the Arc energy core embedded in the weapon.

Avgust drew in a deep breath as he spoke over the COMM: "They deployed legionnaires, I am dealing with them now, but I need you to cue that Hawk's engine now!"

"_We're working on it!"_ Horvin cried_, "I've got the system running now sir, but we'll need a minute or two to prime the engine!"_

Rolling back out from behind his cover, Avgust attempted to take a few shots at the Cabal soldiers below him. Seeing his first targets, the Titan immediately focused and opened fire at the legionnaires below as he saw many of the rounds connect with a lot of the soldiers. One stumbled backwards as the silver bullets tore through its armour. But unexpectedly and from what the Titan assumed was due to the damaged transistors, the arc dispersed in a field that bounced and send out shockwaves that caused the pain to spread to many of the other legionnaires that stood close to his first target.

Avgust looked down momentarily to his weapon, as he recognised that due to the strain he put the weapon under the transistors started to tear themselves to pieces. The Titan swore out loud as he flicked off the arc capacity once more and added a mental note to fix the weapon, but to also investigate the ability he had just witnessed. Emerging from cover once more, Avgust once more opened fire on the group of Cabal below.

Within moments, three of the ten legionnaires and phalanxes fell to the ground within several seconds. The Cabal roared in rage as several attempted to rally behind the shields of many phalanxes, lighting the dark rubble covered ground with an orange glow.

Avgust took the pause to tap the ammunition counter on the machinegun as it displayed that he only retained a dozen rounds in the belt. He drew in a deep breath as he lowered his trigger finger once more, before he stood up and aimed at the Cabal below. There were a few exposed helmets that were peeking anxiously above the shields of the phalanxes; the Red Legion soldiers attempting to get a good aim on their target.

The Titan swung his Thunderlord in the direction of one of these legionnaires as he squeezed the trigger but once. The round ignited from the barrel of the machinegun as the silver bullet collided with the helmeted head of the Cabal soldier as its head snapped back and the black oil contained within its suit exploded and splattered across the scene. This proved an ample distraction, though only for the limited time it afforded as the other Cabal reacted and squealed in confusion and fear.

Avgust readjusted his aim once again, as he squeezed off three more rounds that cracked through one phalanxes' head and one legionary. Their bodies slumped over as their weapons flew free from their hands and clattered to the rubble-filled ground. The only other phalanx roared in anger as it seemingly called out to its legionnaires to respond, as the other Cabal soldiers obliged and sent a flurry of projectiles in the direction of the Titan.

The Titan roared back as he rolled behind his cover once more, before crawling away from his exposed position. He needed to adjust his angle, or else he would not be able to get another firing position on the Cabal below. But within a mere moment, he heard the starting of one of the legionary's jump-packs as Avgust felt his heart skip a beat. He adjusted his Thunderlord to face precisely where he believed that the Cabal soldier would land, and soon enough the hulking frame of the legionary landed in front of him.

Avgust immediately made the adjustment as he instinctively pulled the trigger and landed a bullet in the thick throat of the legionary as it fell backwards, gurgling what Avgust thought to be a mixture of blood and oil before it was made motionless. The Titan counted the kills in his mind, noting that made six dead and four surviving as he eventually realised that the gunfire that was being sustained by the Cabal legionaries.

This was an immediate change of pace, as generally the Cabal never relented unless they were receiving orders from a commanding…

Avgust turned over his cover and levelled his machinegun at the largest target he could possibly find. Within a moment he found that the Harvester deployed one last Cabal soldier: a Centurion. The Titan was all too familiar with the tactics employed by most centurions, and he knew generally they employed blunt-force tactics. Never have they disengaged from an arena of combat, unless they exited it through their death.

The Titan located his target, as he sent off a silver round which pinged harmlessly off the solar shielding that all centurions employed. The giant Cabal seemed to laugh as it lifted its massive weapon to fire at Avgust. The Titan dodged out of the way, as he rolled and took cover behind a series of loose crates as within seconds, he felt the shaking impact of a void explosion only three metres from him. The cold presence of that energy wrapped across his features as he shivered.

If the Hawk tried to leave now, it was almost a guarantee that it would be blasted out of the air by that centurion. The legionnaires would hardly pose a threat with their minor-grade weapons and they would be likely to leave nothing more than dents and marks.

Avgust noted the few remaining rounds in the drum, before he drew in what could possibly be his last breath. The Titan knew that Svarog was not going to agree with what he was about to do, but unfortunately it seemed to him the only possibility.

The plan he quickly drew out in his mind took effect as he launched himself off the roof, over the cover and began his rapid descent to the concrete floor. Fear immediately set in almost like a rabid animal before he choked it, as he relaxed his legs and tightly grasped the weapon in his hands. Avgust's toes collided with the floor and spasmed with pain, though held together by the boot he wore.

Then he rolled forward, sweeping his legs into his chest before he could secure his feet on the floor and spring up to a standing position. The servo joints in his armour screeched with mechanical strain as the Titan raised his Thunderlord to the firing position.

Avgust's aim fell on the jump-pack of one of the legionary's as he pulled the trigger. The fuel-fed device bent out of shape before it glowed with an intense red heat. Avgust ecognised that he had struck a fuel cell, before the explosion rung loudly through his ear.

Two of the other legionnaires were soon consumed in the flame, as they danced around with unexplainable horror. Their cries echoed through the aerodrome, signalling perhaps louder than any siren could.

Immediately Avgust began his sprint to the final legionary he could possibly catch off-guard as he jumped off the ground and pulled his right hand behind his head; his fingers locked in a fist. As he reached striking distance of the Cabal soldier, Avgust thrust his fist directly into the head of the legionary as its helmet shattered from the impact and its head twist in an unnatural angle. The body slumped to the ground as the centurion turned and raised its weapon at the Titan, as it prepared a void charge.

Avgust took calculated though panicked steps toward the massive Cabal, the Titan could feel the cold surge of his Ghost's panic. Avgust sputtered a command through the COMM he prayed was still open: "Horvin! You have your opening!"

There was silence on the other end, nothing but static. But then the centurion's commanding roar returned the Titan to his task. Avgust used his momentum to his advantage as he saw the void charge barreling toward him, kicking his own legs from underneath him as he slid underneath the charge. As soon as he could, the Titan launched up to his feet as he took aim the Thunderlord at the centurion.

And then he pulled the trigger.

The handful of remaining rounds cracked across the solar shield, which managed to put a pretty sizable break in the shielding in the centurion. The Cabal roared as it started a clumsy though speedy charge to meet the Titan directly. Avgust drew in a sharp breath as he stood his ground, he needed to stand still for this moment if for nothing else. His mind rushed through the possibilities; he knew that if the centurion were to do anything than he would expect to do to continue its charge at him.

The Titan eventually placed the Thunderlord on the magnetic lock on his back as he took his combat stance against the charging centurion. Avgust heard the servo joints whine in some form of protest as he clenched his fists and raised them to prepare to strike the incoming Cabal soldier. Within time the centurion entered within ten metres of the Titan, Avgust recognised his opportunity. Avgust lunged toward the Cabal soldier as he rammed his shoulder in the breach, he formed with the Thunderlord.

The solar shielding shattered around the centurion as it was quickly knocked off balance, stumbling to Avgust's left before the Titan capitalised on the opportunity. But the Cabal soldier offered a quick though strong backhand that knocked Avgust backwards, scraping against the runway as the Titan tried desperately to regain his footing during the slide. Soon he secured his footing, as he looked up to the centurion who now levelled at him. Only a second past before Avgust threw himself to the ground again, a void charge splashing and tossing him like a rag two additional metres. His legs chilled and felt the numb of the indescribable void, as an attempt to stand on his left leg led to him to collapse on the ground again.

Avgust tasted blood in his mouth as he looked up to the centurion that offered a cruel laugh, as soon the ringing levelled and soon, he heard sparks from his servo joints ping off the floor. The Titan sighed as he made one last attempt to stand, securing his footing albeit his stance being incredibly weak.

It was ending here.

He lifted his fists up in order to meet the centurion again, as the creature reared back and charged the Titan. He expected the Cabal soldier to just trample him, but soon enough the centurion shot upwards as it used its jump-pack to levitate in the air as it took aim with its Bronto Cannon. Avgust closed his eyes, waiting for the moment to come before the roar of a Hawk blasted his ears.

Avgust's eyes snapped open as he saw the aerocraft shoot out of the hangar-bay door as it adjusted its flight and intentionally struck the flying centurion as the ship shook but eventually caught speed again and took off towards the Twilight Gap. Bits of the centurion dropped on the runway, as the Titan stood in shock and awe of what just happened.

Svarog materialised as he scanned Avgust's weak leg, once again pouring Light onto the injury as the numbing subsided and gave birth to tingling pain that caused Avgust's leg to twitch. The Titan kept his gaze on the Hawk that soon enough disappeared through the black clouds, as he spoke quietly through the COMM: "Good flying, Hunter."

There was no response. He was alone once more.

"He's…" Svarog paused, "gone. Civilians are away."

Avgust stood there silently, before he tore his sight off of the horizon before he looked back at Svarog. The Titan did not know what to say, or what to do. As far as he was aware, he was the last standing Guardian in the remains of the City. He felt as if he should stay and fight until he himself was put in the ruins. But he felt his head turn toward the hangar he defended, before he responded: "Good… they will be safe."

"What about us?"

"What do you suggest?"

The Ghost seemingly fell quiet, not quite expecting the question his Guardian asked him. Avgust blinked a few times to fill the silence as he looked up to imprisoned shape of the Traveler. The Titan simply did not understand how this happened, or how his god could be bound in the way it was. Eventually the Titan offered a sharp exhale as he closed his eyes and concentrated, attempting to secure in that moment peace and guidance.

No. He could not remain in the City.

"We need to flee." Svarog simply stated, "Past the Twilight Gap, I have determined a few friendly regrouping points. But—wait…"

"What is it?" Avgust asked, tension rising in his shoulders.

"It's Horvin… he left a marker inside the hangar." Svarog responded as he directed his single eye toward the hangar. Avgust turned his head to look at his Ghost as his companion glanced back toward him. Avgust shrugged before he took confident steps toward the hangar as he scanned the horizon during his walk.

"Why would he?" Svarog mused to himself, not specifically looking for an answer.

"Whatever it is," Avgust responded, "it is important. I am guessing he would not leave a marker for no reason."

"Whatever it is, as soon as we know what it is, we need to leave. There's no telling if the Red Legion are going to be investigating this site anytime soon."

"Agreed."

Avgust stepped through the hangar-bay door as he glanced quickly around the area. He found his autorifle that he had left on the floor before he rushed to take the turret laid carefully atop what he immediately recognised to be the Hunter's cloak. The Titan stopped walking as he stared at the scene. If he were honest, he was confused. He did not understand why Horvin would leave his cloak behind, as it meant everything to a Hunter.

To them it was not just fashion, it was utility. It helped them survive the Wilds, and for every adventure and patrol they added a memento of their accomplishments. To the Hunters it was their personality and their style, it proved their dedication and talent. Hunters rarely offered their cloak to another, and never offered it to a Titan and especially to a Warlock. But here it was: almost like an offering.

Svarog materialised and stared blankly at Horvin's cloak: "He left his cloak?"

"Appears so." Avgust sighed, before he picked up the Marshal-A1 autorifle as the Ghost followed him and quickly scanned over the cloak.

"Wait... he must've left a data synch. I'm reading it now." The Ghost said as Avgust watched quietly. Eventually, Svarog halted his scan before he looked back up to the Titan.

Svarog seemingly took in a breath before he continued: "Left to the possession of Lieutenant Avgust. Note: I don't know how to thank you, sir. I know time is limited, and that the journey ahead of you is long. I just hope that this little gift will be able to help you in what I'll say is our 'exodus.' Keep safe, sir, and I'll see you when the Light breaks free."

Avgust quietly stood, as he looked down at the cloak. After a few seconds, the Titan placed his Marshal-A1 down before he reached down and collected the cloak. There was something heavy in the fabric that shifted and clattered onto the floor, Avgust looking down at the object as he made out the definite shape of the handcannon that was pointed at his head several minutes before. Taking the cloak in his hands, he reached over and and pulled the Hunter's cloak over his head and around his his shoulders as he let the fabric of the cloak rest over his armoured figure.

Reaching down, the Titan collected the handcannon from off the floor as he dusted off the fine and nearly pristine weapon before he located the holster that was conveniently hidden within the cloak before he secured and stowed the weapon. Reaching down to the floor one last time, Avgust pulled the autorifle off the ground before he made his way once again outside into the dark world. He turned his head to look at the encaged Traveler: it's pure white form slowly being abused and contorted by the orange cage that seemed to be burning itself into the flesh of the god.

He did not understand. Avgust had worked for centuries with the hope that the Traveler's Light could return, that it would breathe once more and bring life to flourish across the extents of the Sol System. He had pushed back the Fallen, broken Hive fortresses and forced the Vex into different simulations… only to fall to the militaristic and oppressive might of the Cabal?

Avgust vowed from that second he would return to the City, to overthrow the Red Legion's tyranny.

And free his god

The Titan then turned his head back to the Twilight Gap as he spoke to his Ghost: "Now we find that signal. And we retreat."

The words felt like daggers as they scratched and tore out of his throat, as he drew in a shaky and nervous breath as his vision returned to the lopsided Tower. He knew that Svarog could sense and feel his anxiety and was likely becoming more and more concerned about his Guardian's wellbeing. But Avgust ignored this and took his first though albeit tentative steps towards the world that lay beyond the City's once secure and impenetrable walls.

And back out into the Wilds.


	6. Chapter 5

_**Somewhere within the Cabal Firebase**_

_**Ganymede, Satellite of Jupiter**_

The Guardian screamed in intense pain.

His body felt as if it was being pulled apart and that his eyes were bulging out of his head. His mind felt as if it was being dashed to pieces as the corners of his eyes made out the purplish light that he knew was killing him. The Guardian hadn't understood the true power of the creatures that he simply knew as 'Psions,' until after he lost his Light. Sure he had been killed by these psychic beings before-several times in fact-but never before would he have thought he would have been subject to their power in torture.

And that idea made him very much afraid.

The Titan couldn't tell if his skin was actually being flayed off his bones, as his body vibrated with an intensity he didn't believe was possible. Eventually his body fell still, as he heard the clanking of the Psion's boots behind him as he exhaled pained breaths. The Guardian wept as his limbs screamed for release. Soon the skulking and predatory shape walked around to face him, as it reached out with its long slender fingers and drew up his head with its fingers. Its sole yellow eye stared into his two purple eyes, as it laughed coldly.

"Precious, you creatures are…" the Psion spat, "I had never known how fragile you all were until this point. I had assumed your kind was much like the Hive: a race of weaklings that were subjugated by a greater power but taken on greater and stronger forms. No, you dress yourself in battle skins much like they did but you have never evolved… and so you are fragile."

The Titan sat in silent defiance, leading the Psion to drop his head as it placed its arms behind its back. The Psion tsked, "You are nothing to special even considering that. What? Revived but three years ago, limited involvement in the wars your City wages… you couldn't even temper your Light properly, so disappointing."

"Y-you don't know who I am…" the Titan gasped, before he spit blood onto the metal floor that he was suspended above.

"Titan Aldwic Uyren.' Member of 'Fireteam Crimson,' sent by the creature known as 'Ikora Rey' to search for a thing known only as the 'Axis." The Psion uttered in a single and effortless breath, before it allowed the Titan to be slammed to the metal floor before bringing the frightened and wounded Guardian back into the air. The Psion parsed his lips: "Don't be foolish, creature. We know perfectly who you are, and what you hope to accomplish. Now what doesn't make sense to me, is how you lost two of your fellow 'Guardians' in the Axis."

Aldwic remained silent.

"Tell me." The Psion pressed.

Aldwic drew in a deep breath before he fell into a deep coughing spasm, trying desperately to find breath. He couldn't tell if the Psion was doing this intentionally, or if it was just because he was succumbing to his injuries… but he prayed that he would simply die. Aldwic couldn't bear to the torture anymore, nor would he allow himself to reveal what happened to what perhaps was the only hope this System still had.

Within a matter of seconds, Aldwic was brought into another spasm as his skin felt as if it was being peeled away.

"I-I don't know!" Aldwic cried, "I-I swear by the Travel-"

"I can feel the answer on your mind," the Psion sighed, "you cannot hide that from me. Speak. I can make the pain much worse, should I wish."

"I-I don't understand the Vex-"

He cried even louder, his Ghost finally reaching her limit as she materialised. Aldwic shook his head desperately, commanding his only remaining friend to disappear again… but by then it was already too late, as the Psion secured the Ghost between his fingers. Her desperate attempts to break free were futile, the Psion merely applying a psionic field to her before she suspended hopelessly in the air.

"Perhaps you do not…" The Psion responded, "but certainly your Ghost will. Pathetic… and to think your kind was resilient, that they were capable of scattering the Legions of the Red Planet… I see now that those reports were grossly exaggerated."

"Y-you give her back you bastard!" Aldwic yelled.

"And what are you going to do to stop me?" The Psion turned its head, "No, you have no power… even in your stronger state, you were a parasite. Now that you have lost your source of sustenance, you shall die… and because you will die, I have nothing I should fear from you."

"Astute observation…" A familiar voice rang, as chills immediately ran up Aldwic's trembling spine. The Primus walked around toward the Ghost, looking down at the thing before it turned its head up at the Titan who was being suspended in the air. The Cabal scoffed, "Trembling thing, I can see your weakness… your dependence on something material, of something of greater worth than you… do you pay devotions to this machine? Pray to it? Call upon it for power, because you have nothing in yourself? Pathetic thing…"

"I-I'll-"

"You will do what?" The Primus asked, "You are mangled, nearly a corpse in a forgotten grave… no, you have no power over me, nor do you have power at all. You as always, are at the complete and utter mercy at the hands of beings greater than you, 'Guardian.' I can have you gutted and displayed in my court, I can have you thrown over the ledge into the pit below, to be among your already dead and forgotten comrades… or, I can grant you other precious moments of life to run away, terrified of the doom that is about to come.

"You were at my mercy… as you are now. Your worth has been spent, the object we desire and the knowledge we require are in our grasp. So tell me, parasite, what should I do with you?"

Aldwic turned his head away, refusing to answer the Primus. The Cabal stood by for a minute, unmoving as it stared at him… he honestly wanted it to kill him. He had already lost everything else, been put through excruciating pain and for what? So that the Cabal could secure a war objective, so that they could prove their 'dominance' and bolster their fragile ego. It wanted him to fear it… it wanted him to fear what befell his friends...

Aldwic feared what would befall everyone else back at the City. This wasn't about him. He knew what the Cabal were looking for, and he knew that if they were going to secure Vex technology for their warmachine, then everything the City had built would be lost. Aldwic turned his head back up toward the Primus, his squinting eyes brimming with something distinct:

Hatred.

And the Primus understood that.

"Ah…" The Primus laughed, "now I understand, parasite… I shall set you loose. I shall let you wring around in the grave, let you breath a few last precious breaths before you are ultimately buried and forgotten. You shall live your last days in fear, in the knowledge that everything you have accomplished and everything that you have contributed to your pathetic race shall be erased by the bounds of history: you shall be the screaming voice of fear, and you shall carry one name to be feared."

"W-who are you?"

Aldwic could sense the Primus smile.

"I am Primus Kor'auth."

* * *

**Жжжжжж**

* * *

_**Two days after the Fall of the City...**_

_**At the Twilight Gap, Old Kazakhstan...**_

_**14th of October, 3217**_

There was a silent pause in the wind, but the green grass still moved. The mountainside had long sensed and felt the wounds and loss of conflicts that tore at its natural beauty. It had heard the sounds of screams and cries, and witnessed its protectors and attackers fall and never rise again. Those who had stood guard over what they had hoped would be the last conflict knew this. They could tell where the scars lay and they knew precisely where the mountains flesh was scarred and gouged. They knew precisely the place they stood and the lines they held... and they knew exactly where their friends passed into the Void.

Where heroes made either their first stand or where legends made their last. Two days ago, the Vanguard estimated that out of the 3,000 Guardians that stood in defence of the City only 38 were veterans of the Battle of the Twilight Gap.

But now? Who could tell if there were even ten left.

The Marshal-A1 kept itself in a firing position as it waited patiently for the wind to continue. The veteran knew very well that the wind on the northern face of Twilight Gap never ceased. Never. The veteran cautiously watched the horizon, as a hole punctured the sky almost like a pinpoint before it violently expanded in a sphere of blue and orange light as a whale-like ship pulled through the sphere and materialised it's offensive black and red husk through the blue skies.

The Cabal had been piling in their Carriers for the past two days as others would depart to places and destinations unknown. It was evident they were headed to Earth to accept orders before they headed to their objectives elsewhere in Sol. But pulling in this much power to a centralised spot to hand out barking orders?

The Red Legion was flexing even after they burned the City. It was a show: an attempt to threaten the Forces of the City into a bloody submission. An excessive force against a feeble victim.

The wind started to gently blow again once the Carrier pressed southbound to the Last City of Humanity. The veteran held still as he waited to see if any Threshers or Harvesters would begin another scouting run across the mountain range, but there was not the sound of any booming engine nor was there any visual signal.

The veteran slowly lifted himself to his feet, as he brushed the cloak the Hunter had given him to be exactly behind him. The Guardian had taken his time to fashion the cloak with foliage and sapphire wiring to function as a primitive camouflage in the Twilight Gap. The Guardian started to walk cautiously toward the north, as he used his right hand to pull the hood from off the top of his head.

He scanned his surroundings quickly, before he lightened into a quick jog down the mountain. His Ghost materialised over the Guardian's shoulder as he matched the others jogging pace with ease. The Ghost scanned over the Guardian with his now white eye, "I never thought we would be to this place under these circumstances…"

The Guardian swallowed the pain that echoed through his being, "Svarog, do you have any other signatures leaving the City?"

"Nothing." Svarog responded, "E-band... no. There are only the remnants of the Pilgrim Guard that we already scanned."

The Guardian stepped carefully over a series of branches that were naturally lain on the grassy ground, as he entered the cover of several pine trees. His eyes glanced over the features of their black wood, before he recognised the marks of Fallen weaponry. He paused only for a moment as he silently paid respects to the sacrifices that were likely made here. His mind quickly adapted and returned to the subject, as he considered the matter quietly.

He himself had aligned with the Pilgrim Guard a few centuries before: Titans who dedicated themselves to act as shepherd to the lost flocks that scattered during the Collapse to guide them to the protection of the City. He committed himself much like any other, and proudly walked alongside those who could not walk on their own. The number of times he had carried the weak on his own shoulders, he had never forgotten.

Now the Pilgrim Guard was organised once more to guide the innocent away from the place they had come to accept as home. All the sacrifices made by Guardians and non-Guardians alike? Came to be at this time stripped of its meaning... it had become pointless.

The Titan could not stomach that thought.

"Avgust?" Svarog asked, "We need to get moving!"

Reality surged back, as Avgust immediately began to scan his flanks with the auto rifle he held. Turning at half-face he carefully took his first step backwards and further into the forest that lined the mountainside.

"What is it?"

"I... I don't know, but it is foreign. It is making a low-pass over our position—"

"How far?" Avgust demanded.

"It is..."Svarog paused uncharacteristically, as he turned to look at Avgust with an all too familiar expression of concern: "Making a low-speed, low-altitude pass about five kilometres from our current position. But it's very odd…"

"Nevermind that." Avgust said as he turned back around to walk through the forest at normal pace. He scanned the trees quickly, just to ensure there was nothing waiting for an ambush or if there was anything that possibly could have resembled a trap. There was nothing... it appeared to have been untouched for centuries as the moss delicately grew on the trees and smaller plants spread across and between the trees without looking the least bit disturbed.

The optic on the Marshal-A1 did not register anything as it peered with its all seeing 'eye.' Perhaps Avgust was suffering from exhaustion at this point, and it was putting him unnecessarily on edge... but then again, he could not let down his guard by the slightest or it would have guaranteed an absolute and irreversible death.

"No, we will mind it…" Svarog countered as Avgust snapped back to attention: "it is emitting a signal, (which is how I found it in the first place) but it hasn't been matching any Red Legion scratch pattern."

"Fallen?"

"Not possible. It is too organised and emitting on some form of human band…"

Svarog paused uncharacteristically again, as the Ghost evaporated back into the link that bound Guardian and Ghost. Avgust was all too familiar with the sensation of ice trickle down his back, but now it felt as if it was missing something. He could not tell what specifically, but he was certain is had something to do with the loss of Light. Avgust was aware of every complication as he ran it through his mind again, but now he just wished to shut it out of his mind entirely and steel himself...

But it just returned back. It was tactical, it was a factor that he needed to account for with every step he made. And how it boiled his temper.

"Human?" Avgust grunted, attempting to escape his other thoughts.

"Looks like it. It is o so familiar... I will take more looks at it, perhaps the Pilgrim Guard—"

"The Pilgrim Guard is dead." Avgust flatly spoke, as the air then seemed to cool. He could not look at Svarog anymore, but he could tell that the Ghost was staring directly into his eyes. Avgust understood why: what he had said was uncharacteristic of himself. He felt the gravity of how pathetic that was.

"I believe the last transmission they sent will be their final transmission."

"Lieutenant," Svarog said in controlled tone, "have you given up?"

"I do not believe I have."

"You did not give up on Horvin or the civilians, but now you are going to throw up your hands with this possibility of others being alive? That is a sick contradiction!"

"I do not see how this relates to our mystery, Svarog—"

"No, but it relates to you!" The Ghost interrupted, as Avgust continued to walk on even though the current situation demanded him to stand his ground. Avgust felt something turn inside of him, almost like a knife that a Huntress had plunged into him centuries ago here in the Twilight Gap.

Avgust knew the Ghost was right. He drew in a deep breath: "I know."

"That is not an explanation... Avgust, I am really worried about you."

"I am sorry." Avgust said with some actual due sympathy, though to him it felt like a man apologising for being ill. It seemed to him something outside of his control: sudden and unaccounted.

"What is it?" The puzzled Ghost asked.

"Pain, I think... a delayed sickness perhaps."

"Its your thoughts. What are they?"

Avgust knew that Svarog knew him perhaps better than he knew himself. It had been a long and trying companionship, but in every moment they managed to overcome everything that was born against them. It refined them in their weaknesses and helped to form their strengths. In every moment where it seemed as if Avgust stood alone and whenever it seemed as if his friends turned against him and family abandoned him: Svarog had been there.

But what came if one of two immortals were stripped of the cloak of their might? Were they not now reduced to the shackles of mortality?

"It is leaving behind home to be burnt, Svarog. It is leaving behind the sacrifices of so many brave souls out into the places where we know there is nothing more than gnashing teeth and knives." Avgust paused as he stepped over a truck that had fallen from one of the tall trees, "We have seen a lot, Svarog. We have helped countless individuals, much like ever-vigilant eagles that swooped upon the enemies of the City... now here we are. Forced to flee."

"I understand." Svarog responded simply, "I was around for a long time, Avgust... ever since the Traveler was slain by the Darkness. You understand I searched for quite a long time for that time. At the beginning, there was not even a City nor the Guardians. I witnessed plenty of bloodshed, at the hands of Warlords or raiders. Many times they even tried to kill me.

"There were villages back then. I've seen many burnt to the ground, and many others rebuilt. Every time I saw individuals of courage rise from the ashes, whether it was resist or to help evacuate... eventually we concentrated and formed the Last City. But you know as well as everyone else that the security and peace we won came from a heavy price... and every time I needed to ask myself: what happens if this stand we make is the last time?"

"Why did you not talk to me about this?" Avgust asked.

"Because I knew that it would hurt, Avgust. You always had a light about you... you never gave in: not to the Fallen or the Hive. You never rolled over for the Vex, nor allowed yourself to be stepped on by the Cabal. But in your calculations that you make, you never factored in 'what if we lose?"

Avgust remained silent. It did hurt. He never wanted to admit the possibility of failure; the reality of what would follow should he fail. In every moment of his second life, he kept so focused on victory and overcoming the odds that his shortsightedness left him blind to the cold reality that there will eventually be failure. Despite the number of times he had to rise to a challenge and the number of times he had been successful: he never stepped out of the ashes of cold and unforgiving failure.

Hundreds if not thousands of Guardians died their final deaths and countless others who were civilians. They were burnt and stomped out of their security and shelter, and though it boiled the blood in Avgust's veins he knew that Svarog had been right. This reality hurt him more than he wanted to admit.

Was it fear? Or was it hubris?

"I see." Avgust said, "I understand."

"Avgust, you are an incredible Guardian. You've dedicated all your faculties to the protection of the City, but you can't allow this moment a chance to let you slip and fall into that hurt. Otherwise—"

"The Darkness strikes us down." Avgust finished, remembering well the words of his mentor. Immediately he could tell that Svarog's gaze of scrutiny relaxed and became one of admiration. Avgust spoke one more time: "And Svarog? I am sorry."

"No need to apologise, Avgust." Svarog chirped with a newborn cheery enthusiasm: "Now, about that transmission…"

Avgust continued his descent as eventually he reached a clearing in the forest that formed a natural path. He scanned very quickly his surroundings as he recognised again that there was a possibility that there were Cabal kill teams still roaming the Twilight Gap. He needed to remain weary, even though he was far removed from the borders of the City. Eventually he satisfied himself that he was clear, as the Titan paced carefully through the tall grass of the opening to another coast of trees that would finish his descent into the charred remains of the land beyond Twilight Gap.

He knew the story very well, and the features glared in a strange but honest familiarity. Lord Radegast after the Battle of the Six Fronts chased the Fallen House of Devils far outside of the City's limits and scorched the earth under his feet with others of the Iron Banner to reclaim and purify the City's new territory. It symbolised to the Guardians of the City the first true steps to reclaiming their lost worlds. And now only six hundred years later, life from the grey and black ashes began its growth once more among the charred remains of its past.

Suddenly the topic pulled Avgust's attention away from his task as he asked: "Where was that ship headed?"

"Over the Burn, from what I understand—" The Ghost cut himself short as he seemed to hone his attention elsewhere: "Avgust! Definitely a human ship!"

"What—"

_"—... this is an emergency broadcast. I repeat, this is an emergency broadcast. We are taking risks here on these channels—... Hawk transport to a safe and secure location. I repeat, we are offering Hawk transport to a safe and secure location. If you are receiving: head to coordinates—"_

Avgust felt the very hairs on the back of his neck stand as he listened to the transmission that Svarog caught, as he waited specifically for the coordinate information. It did not register as static filled his ears instead, leaving Avgust to wonder whether or not Svarog was decrypting the broadcast or finding a way to secure that location.

"Got it," Svarog responded, "not too far from here. They're apparently setting down in the Burn, but I'm guessing that is only for a moment."

"Show us that way, then."

* * *

Avgust carefully moved through the fresh grey soil as he approached the location that Svarog had been directing him too. Saplings stood as tall as they could from out of the destruction that had visited their ancestors. In all terms, it was a curious thing that even though an intensive burn that destroyed all semblance of life fourteen miles outside of the Twilight Gap could have been symbolic of the City's own destruction... afterwards, saplings from the forest that once stood proud and tall now rooted to continue the legacy.

He had hoped the same would be true for the City: that even though abandoned, it could be reclaimed and made prosperous once more. But step by step, the Titan came understand... he could not allow himself to stare too far into the distant future and become oblivious to but the critical moments only a few minutes ahead.

Svarog had traced the signal to here, and had overlaid the coordinate data to confirm that this place they were headed to would turn out to indeed be some courteous rescuers who sought to guide the refugees of the City to safer places. Avgust kept his Marshal-A1 rifle in the firing position as he carefully approached the position, scanning from his left to his right as eventually he was able to make out the artificial shape through the twisted and threatening husks of dead trees that still stood.

Avgust recognised the shape immediately: the VTOL engines mounted to both wings and a long and narrow cockpit with a sharp cassis. It was indeed a Hawk but it did not bear the orange and white detailing that signaled that it belonged to the Forces of the City, but rather it donned a forest green paint. Even within just a few dozen metres away from the vessel, the Titan kept his auto rifle aimed at the vehicle.

While he knew they were not Cabal he also could not leave bandits out of the question. It seemed to Avgust however, that it would be strange for any bandit to truly place themselves so close to Cabal lines. As he approached the scene, Avgust noticed that one of the figures stepped free from the troop bay that rested underneath the cockpit of the Hawk. It was a human male, with dark complexion who held a City-produced pulse rifle tightly in his hands. Avgust quietly watched the man's movements, attempting to determine for himself whether or not it was wise to approach.

Seconds dragged on to minutes, before Avgust determined even if the male was a threat, it was very likely he could have protected himself. Standing upright, Avgust whistled in a low tone, immediately catching the human's attention who anxiously tugged at the charging handle of his pulse rifle.

"Relax." Avgust commanded, "I am reckoning you are the one behind the broadcast?"

"That I am…" The male responded, "name's Jeroth, I'm a part of the Farm's effort to rescue the stragglers from the City."

"The Farm?" Avgust inquired. He had never heard about the Farm before… not even from classified documents. It could have not been a contingency created by the City to evacuate citizens in an accident of this scale, no Guardian would reasonably give up the fight against an alien force looking to steal their home. No, this was an independent movement… and he did not like the thought of that.

"Place of refuge, we've been making cycles ever since we've heard about the distress of the City... " Jeroth explained, "now we're running them all to the Farm, it's the only safe place we have left, sir."

"Where is it?"

"Well…" The man anxiously chuckled, "The European Deadzone."

Avgust furrowed his brow, "Do you not know that the Deadzones are forbidden territories?"

"Well, just happens we don't have anywhere else to run to… unless you have another idea sir, no disrespect, of course."

Avgust sat there for a moment, contemplating the situation quietly. Had they really been reduced to this? Hiding in the shadows of the places that posed more harm than they did security?

Was this the end?


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Apologies for the wait, but this chapter shall serve as the last chapter of the 'first act.' I understand I have not posted in a long time, unfortunately there were a lot of difficulties that I wanted to get out of the way before I considered posting here again. I will be taking a break from this story for a little while as I continue to write for it, but it is possible that I may be posting a secondary story sometime in the future. Thank you for reading!**

* * *

**Жжжжжж**

* * *

_**Two days after the Fall of the City...**_

_**The Farm, European Deadzone, Old Switzerland...**_

_**15th of October, 3217**_

Avgust felt as the bay underfoot shuttered and quaked. The Titan had spent significant time aboard aerospace vehicles before, whether it was in the troop bay or as pilot. Something seemed natural to him when it came to piloting it seemed, whether it was at Battle of Burning Lake or at the Second Battle of Ceres, he had always provided aerial support even before he had been selected as a leader in the Vanguard. Avgust knew precisely what every control in the cockpit did and which settings were optimal for each class of Jumpship or Troop Transport.

Avgust turned his head slightly to look out through the viewport mounted to the bay door, as he made out the quivering though tall trees that dotted the jagged mountainside. Avgust immediately identified where he was now: the south-eastern jurisdiction of Old Germany, a part of what was known to the City merely as the 'European Deadzone.' It had been a restricted area for centuries following its identification as a source of corrupted Light, something that the Vanguard was understandably concerned about.

To him? It was nothing more than an ironic reminder of the state the remnants of the City were truly in… it was insulting that they station themselves at the broken remains of the Traveler rather than gather under their God as they had.

"We're pulling toward the Farm, sir." The pilot spoke over the speaker, "We'll be touching down in a few seconds, and it looks like we've got a welcoming party."

"Welcoming party?" Avgust asked as he pulled himself up to stand as the troop bay door shuttered less under his weight.

"Aye, sir."

The Titan slowly approached the troop bay door as he gripped one of the hanging handholds, looking outside as his stomach dropped with the adjustment the Hawk made in its descent. Avgust felt as the Hawk sputtered and slowed as the vertical thrusters primed and lit, correcting the Hawk's approach from forward to downward. The troop bay door activated suddenly, as it lowered to an opening position as the bright German noon poured into the dark red confines of the troop bay. Eventually the landing gears lowered as the vehicle slowly brushed and then firmly planted itself on the dusty though pine needle-ridden ground. The ground and its leaves circled before being scattered in every which way.

Soon enough the dust settled and the familiar shape of a Guardian emerged as the wind ruffled its cloak. Avgust stepped down from the Hawk as he patted the vehicle with his free hand twice as he glanced around at the wild German countryside, before focusing his attention on the Hunter. He knew this one, the Hunter had been one of his trusted associates in times past.

Shiro-4.

Shiro approached Avgust as he offered the Titan a hand, as the latter obliged with a firm handshake. The orange Exo folded his arms as he chuckled aloud, "Well, if it isn't Lieutenant Avgust! Please don't mind that things aren't quite bolted here, we've been quite busy managing everything else."

"Those duties appear to be left in capable hands, comrade." Avgust responded, "Even if we are to depend on certain rogue elements for our security."

"Rogue elements they may be," Shiro gently corrected, "but they're who we'll need to be working with if we're ever to protect our people."

"Not concerned about that, Shiro… just curious to me that some groups have been left unchecked, no matter how beneficial they may turn out to be."

"Some things never change," Shiro sighed, "should've figured that it'd be hard to break a Titan from their rulebook. Regardless, we are afforded a wonderful opportunity here to position and gather strength. The Cabal are too absorbed back at the City and with the Fallen having retreated some months ago, I think we're looking at a promising start."

"A start for what?" Avgust grunted.

"Thought that'd be obvious."

Avgust rolled his eyes before his eyes glanced over the several groups of refugees that gathered themselves at the side of the path that Shiro had been leading them down. A lot of the City garb that had been adopted by the City and her inhabitants appeared to have been replaced with the rough cloth that adorned pilgrims. It was as if he were looking at the refugees he had pledged defence of in a time far before, when he dedicated himself to the cause of the Pilgrim Guard… then? He pledged to direct the helpless sojourners to the shelter of the City… now? He was staring almost at the very same faces, who recognised that there was no more refuge.

"I appreciate your optimism, Shiro." Avgust carefully said, "Have we received any word from the Vanguard?"

"We've gotten nothing since the City… plenty of our scouts have also disappeared. A few of us are trying to figure out where they all went, but without the D1 transmat network, it's an impossible task."

The transmat network was gone? Avgust nearly swore before he vented through an exaggerated sigh and shaking of his head. The Titan brushed some dust loose from off of his armour as he grunted: "Where could they have gone?"

"Anywhere from the trojans of the inner-Sol to the dark reaches of the outer… but trying to figure out where they've gone without the satellite network as an absolute shot in the dark, 'comrade." Shiro quickly replied, "Nevertheless, Ms. Hawthorne here is looking to secure an advanced communication array, perhaps that'll give us a lead."

"Is she now?"

"O, yeah… she is. And you'll need to talk with her some time soon, she's running the show around here and I'm certain that she'll want to speak with a surviving Vanguard. It'd be in your best interests as well, I'd reckon."

"Who is this Ms. Hawthorne?" Avgust asked. The Titan never specifically liked the idea of some rogue-especially considering the circumstances now-leading an operation of this size. Whether she was a Guardian or not was not his concern, it was the ethics of allowing some perfect unknown manage the lives of thousands to coming millions.

"Some no-Light who has been running around the Wilds for as long as any Hunter." Shiro responded, "But Avgust, I guarantee she has some clue as to what she's doing… I know what you're thinking, but I promise you that we can trust her."

"Shiro, I appreciate your optimism." Avgust repeated.

"Thanks, but you said that already…"

"We'd hope that optimism would be the key!" A random third voice joined in, as Avgust quickly swung his head back to make out a sole figure in a grey and red poncho. It was a she, darker complexion with a long-barrelled rifle that slung snuggly against her back. The Titan watched as the human approached in some confident manner before she stopped just before the two Guardians.

"I heard that Jay pulled in some Vanguard from the coasts of Twilight Gap… I'm guessing you're the one?" The woman asked.

"Lieutenant Avgust," the Titan responded, "I am reckoning you are Ms. Hawthorne?"

"Who gave you the 'Ms.' part?" Hawthorne snorted, "And I'm guessing I'm clear if I were just to call you 'Avgust?"

"I would not have it any other way."

"Heh, glad to see we won't be having a problem with that. I've heard that you Titans are very by the books, and I was worried that a Vanguard Titan would be particularly troublesome."

"What do you mean?" Avgust asked.

"Well, I just meant names and orders and all that…" Hawthorne awkwardly chuckled, "didn't mean that you specifically are a problem. Anyways, I thought I'd welcome you to the Farm personally. We've been having a stream of refugees pouring in from the City for the past three days, just a handful of Guardians at this point, and we're really struggling to find areas that'd be considered safe enough for them to stay. We're adequately supplied with food and water for the time, but if the Farm keeps growing at the rate at which it is, that'll start to be a problem too."

Avgust looked over the landscape carefully as he spotted areas of forest that had been cleared for an expanding community of makeshift shelters among several wooden and aged structures. The mix of green and blue faded together peacefully beside the faded red and wood that stuck out proudly from the ground from time to time. It was odd to think that this place had been the home of a people that have been gone for centuries, and that just now it was being settled in again.

Avgust did not mind that, especially considering that he longed for a place to just watch. To connect with the roots of Humanity's past. But it was not the City, and it was not sheltered by the Light of the Traveler. This land's guardians have long fled or been conquered by an age of ruinous war that had been forgotten to time. The Collapse.

How long would they last? The eerily familiar thought of suicide entered into Avgust's mind as he looked over the jagged shape of the Shard of the Traveler. He had long heard about it, how the Traveler discarded it in its battle against the Darkness. It was declared a Deadzone just for that reason, as the Vanguard feared that the corrupted Light could extend and lead to corrupted Guardians.

Avgust shook the thought out of his head.

"Where have these resources come from?" Avgust asked.

"They've been hobbled together through whatever the City folk brought." Hawthorne responded, "Why do you ask?"

"I was hoping that there would be some place where we could secure resources… but that would require a fleet of ships that I imagine are not quite ready for the task." Avgust sighed.

"We've got well over 50 ships, but with all the refugees… those people take priority."

"We are in agreement there. We are close to a local pre-Golden Age city, it might not have everything, but if we can assemble a few Fireteams it is certain that we will be able to secure a good deal of salvageable resource."

"Just a tiny problem with that, Avgust." Hawthorne said as she gestured the Titan to follow her, Avgust obliged as the wanderer pointed out in the orange horizon the sight of black smoke that spun up ominously. Avgust felt anger kindle inside of him as he quickly pushed that thought out. He remembered his campaigns with the Rubicon Front too well. Black smoke like that was always the tell-tale sign that the Cabal were establishing a new base of operations, and with something like that within proximity to the Farm…

"How long ago did this start?" Avgust demanded with a soft tone.

"Just as soon as people started coming from the City… we've gotten reports of the Fallen, too. We're being pressed in by all sides, and with little to no weapons to defend ourselves…"

"We are not going to focus on that." Avgust replied, "The Guardians will deal with it while the-"

"You don't get it, do you?" Hawthorne snapped, "The Light is gone! You're on the same playing field as we are now!"

"I do not intend to underestimate the talent of those not touched by the Traveler's Light, the Traveler knows how much that you all have sacrificed. But tell me when have you fought against the Cabal on Mars? When have you stood the line against the united Fallen Houses? We are equals, but there is a line of experience that I do not believe you have yet crossed. You are resourceful and well meaning-"

"And that's it, huh?"

"Please do not make this difficult." Avgust said in a hushed tone, "You are right, we are on 'the same playing field.' And I trust you as much as I would trust any of these Guardians… but we are the ones that will always go in willingly to the fight. We are the ones who have always fought."

"Well, well well…" a boisterous voice laughed, "if it isn't Ava!"

Avgust immediately stood still as he heard the diminutive of his name used by a voice that was all too familiar. Hawthorne stood still as the Titan turned around to see precisely the man he thought it was: the white and orange armour of the legendary Lord Shaxx. The still-helmeted Titan approached the two as his size soon became apparent, as even Titans seemed to be dwarfed by the giant. What followed was just natural for Avgust, as the two locked fists and applied a grip that would have shattered a Hunters or a Warlocks hand.

"Lord Shaxx," Avgust said as he reassured himself, "I was hoping that you made it out."

"It'll take more than that to end me, Ava!" Shaxx responded, "We're lucky that we made it out. The Tower was hit really hard by the Dominus's flagship, but many of us made it out. I've killed enough Cabal to disband ten centuries, but it still isn't enough… but if we're getting good fighters, then we'll still need practical but effective training."

"O, don't tell me…" Hawthorne sighed.

"The Crucible goes on!" Shaxx proudly declared, "If we are going to ever be ready to fight the Red Legion, then we'll need to sharpen ourselves now more than ever! Light or no Light, every Guardian is going to need to be prepared to field themselves against whatever the Darkness throws at us!"

"Agreed." Avgust simply stated, "But there are priorities that come first, no?"

"Absolutely." Shaxx responded, "In fact that's precisely what Hawthorne here wants to talk about! Resource management, leadership management, where we are going to establish training arenas… I was worried I'd have to sit alone, but with you here, it won't be quite as boring."

Hawthorne shook her head, "We've discussed a fair deal already… honestly I just want to get to that work as soon as possible."

"Without a plan," Avgust responded, "that work is not going to mean much. Is there a place where we can hold council? We need to gather those we can depend on to relay instructions and receive council. As soon as we come to an agreement, then we start the execution of those ideas."

"There's a little barn not too far from here, it'll suit your needs for the time being…" Hawthorne responded, "but we don't have any time to waste. We'll need to get a move on as soon as we order it. Deal?"

Avgust looked down at the woman with a raised brow, trying to determine whether or not engagement with her was going to continue to be as relatively friendly as it had been. Her demeanour and willingness to argue on points that seemed rather unimportant. Why did it matter to her that the Guardians have been stripped of her immortality and powers, other than to concern her? The Titan processed the information as quickly and partially as he could, but it seemed to him that it was going to be relatively difficult to earn this woman's trust. But if she was willing to cooperate with the remnants of the City to protect those who could not protect themselves, why should it concern him?

"Agreed." Avgust replied stiffly, "Lead the way."

Hawthorne nodded her head before she took the lead, walking a head of the two Guardians. Avgust turned his head toward Lord Shaxx, who offered the Lieutenant an unhelpful shrug before following behind the woman. Shiro flashed Avgust a quick wave, before peeling off and walking away. The Titan did not respond to the Hunter that departed, before he set off behind Shaxx. Avgust did not understand why, but it seemed as if he was dragging his feet a lot more than he had been. Svarog materialised beside Avgust once more.

The Ghost knew he was feeling uneasy.

"We haven't been here in a while…" Svarog attempted to strike at a casual conversation.

"I would hope we would never need to set foot here again." Avgust responded.

"Yet here we are…"

"We should not be."

"Yeah, I know…" Svarog paused, "but we need to keep looking forward, yeah? Soon enough, we'll be entering the City's gates as liberators."

Liberators.

Avgust did not understand why, but it seemed as if that word was something that he would not be. He did not respond to Svarog as the group slowly came in front of a barn that was in severe disrepair. Holes covered the exterior of the structure, either formed naturally from the decaying wood or because of the scavenging insects that carved their own homes into it. Vines ran tightly over the structure aside the tall grass… it did not seem like the place that leaders would gather to discuss plans for the survival of their people, but this was the circumstance that they were reduced to: a shabby hut with peeling red paint and molding wood. Avgust glanced toward Shaxx, who had been staring at the Titan since they reunited, the giant folded his massive arms as he hummed thoughtfully.

"Well," Shaxx chuckled, "wouldn't this be the place where we plan to retake our home?"

"It's in disrepair, yes…" Hawthorne replied sharply, "but it's the best we got on such short notice… I'll get whoever I can to rush over here, we'll start our 'meeting' ASAP."

"We appreciate it-" Avgust attempted to say.

"Don't mention it." Hawthorne responded, brushing past the Titan's shoulder as he shot her a glare.

"She's…" Shaxx sighed, "she's a complicated one… got ideas that are definitely beneficial, but I don't think I need to give you my idea of what she thinks about Guardians."

"Not positive?" Avgust asked more than he stated.

"Stressed, I'd think. She's a short temper like you were back when you got to the City… you know how you were, Ava." Shaxx replied.

His own mentor, the one who taught him quite a bit behind what it meant to be a Titan. What it meant to be a Guardian. Avgust looked up to the giant with an inquisitive glare, but it was evident that Shaxx was not going to say any more about the subject… but he did not need to. Avgust remembered it perfectly. He remembered he needed to temper himself in moments like these, not to give in to rage nor to give up. The Titan drew in a deep and meditative breath, calming his own nerves before he looked at Svarog. The Ghost blinked at him once.

"I know…"

* * *

**Жжжжжж**

* * *

Avgust kept his arms folded, staring over the others that gathered in the barn. He tried to ignore the state of the establishment where they stood, but in reality it looked no better than he did. The Titan's cracked armour had been shined and cleaned quickly, but there was no way to reverse the damage that made his one proud armour betray what it once symbolised. The Titan pulled on the cloak he wore, the cloak that had been gifted him as he felt the fabric through his armoured fingers.

Armoured fingers… a strange thing to think about. But what was a Titan if they were not an instrument of war?

Avgust looked up at the scaffolding that barely managed to hold the building together, spotting a Hunter that had positioned herself comfortably on it. He then looked down to the floor level, where the Warlocks, Titans and the refugees of the City gathered. Several uniformed patrols of the FOTC stood by, weapons at the ready with a few of Shaxx's Redjacks. The Frames did not fidget nor did they blink any lights, making it seem to the Titan that they had been deactivated.

Eventually Hawthorne approached the table, placing her gloved fingers down on it before she leaned in. A series of maps either from the Golden Age or from City Reconnaissance littered the surface of the table, outlined with a series of notations that had been drafted by Guardians or other patrols that had already scouted the place. From what they had determined, what little they had was already being contested by the Fallen or being destroyed by the Cabal… and without any true form of rapid transportation in the form of Sparrows or Hawks, search and retrieval operations were going limited if successful at all.

Avgust already discussed in detail with a Hunter Fireteam the establishment of a transmat network, but with few units and limited power and network space, that idea would not render any fruit either. The Titan drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes before exhaling sharply… the room had been silent for minutes, waiting for Hawthrone to return. The woman for her expertise in the area, was not very committed to staying the entire duration of the meeting, opting to go check on matters herself than to wait until the conclusion of the meeting.

"_Whatever makes sure we don't need to do this anymore." _She told him. Avgust scoffed.

"A new issue has been brought up…" Hawthorne finally said, "we're going to need a lot more water purification units. Our current supply isn't going to suit the needs of our rapidly growing population."

"Weapons…" A Titan from the crowd muttered, "we're going to need more guns if we're going to be securing any detail anytime soon."

"That'd have been an easy problem to solve," a Warlock called out, "but we don't have sufficient engram decrypting technology nor do we have glimmer to spare. Unless the Titans intend to use their fists as always, we're broke if we engage to any major degree even a Fallen Crew."

"Can't you just steal their weapons?" Hawthorne responded, "Can't be that hard."

"Many Guardians are against the idea of using, or even holding the weapons of our enemies… myself included, Hawthorne." Avgust finally said, "As for your water purification units, we can allocate glimmer and parts to the production of a few units. But that still does not suit our need for weapons to fight with."

"... just pick up a Wire Rifle." Hawthorne responded, "If we're going to survive, we're going to need to be adaptable! Those old rules aren't going to cut it anymore, Avgust-"

"If we forget who we are, then what better are we than the Fallen?" Avgust interrupted… it was not something he would have done in the past, and every Guardian in attendance knew that. All attention shifted to the Lieutenant who felt an untempered rage burn within him as he stared down at Hawthorne, who looked back defiantly at him.

_Control that which seeks to control you._

"I apologise-" Avgust attempted to say.

"Don't even bother!" Hawthorne shot back, "Look, I understand that you're on edge, and that this must be difficult… but we're going to need to talk about respect."

"Respect is a right," Avgust replied, "it is not a gift. I am looking to cooperate with you, but I apologise if I cannot stand to be insulted."

"Insults get to you? What kind of hero is defeated by 'insults?' And not sure if you noticed, but those were questions and concerns… if those insult you, then there isn't much more I need to say, do I?"

"Stop!" Shaxx responded, "The both of you! We are here to talk about the wellbeing of the people of the City, and you're going to argue about what is and what is not? Focus! Didn't think I needed to say that, for Traveler's sake!"

There was a prolonged silence within the barn.

_Control that which seeks to control you._

"I apologise for my outburst." Avgust responded, "But my point stands. We are looking for the survival of these people before our own interests. Whatever can be salvaged through our operations here in the Deadzone may be used against the Cabal or the Fallen, but our priority goes to those water purification units… the Guardians are going to be needing them as much as our people-"

The barn doors slammed open as all attention immediately shifted toward the intruder. Some of the Guardians went for the weapons that they still had, as a sudden anxiety crawled over those that gathered in the council. Avgust tried everything in his power to calm his nerves at this point, as his Ghost materialised once more over his shoulder and looked at him… the Titan focused on that mountainside, to the lesson he learned that day as he attempted to stoke the embers of his anger…

Embers reminded him of the ashes where he rested the day the City fell… he remembered the dead bodies of his comrades as they were wronged, as their Light was stolen from them. No, focus and temper that anger… control what seeks to control him, and forge it into an unbreakable will. But those that died? Put them to the back of his mind so that they could move on to be forgotten later? What good was that sacrifice then, if it did not inspire him?

_Anger is not inspiration_, Avgust told himself, _it is destruction._

"G-Ganymede!" The intruder cried out, stifling his own fear and pain. Avgust could hear it in this man's distressed voice, as the mangled body of a once proud Titan shuffled up toward the table. The Guardians and the refugees moved out of the way of the Titan who approached, as Avgust made out the pain that inflicted this poor soul's body. His armour was damaged and his face covered in deep and still-bleeding scars, his face burdened by the pain of having witnessed something incredibly horrifying.

Avgust's own anger kindled when he saw this… he knew the Guardian, a young Titan who he trained. Aldwic Uyren. Avgust felt as if he was slipping and losing control of himself, of his temper...

_Control that which seeks to control you. _

"Aldwic-" Avgust stopped himself.

"L-lieutenant…" Aldwic cried, nearly collapsing on the table, "the Red Legion… they… they're at Ganymede… they killed…"

"Killed your Fireteam." Avgust finished with dry breath.

Avgust felt something break, something he did not care to repair. It felt as if the weight he had been carrying since the collapse of the City finally fell off his shoulders as this strange emotion washed over him. His nerves tingled with some cool that consumed him entirely, his fingers wrapping subconsciously around the table he stood at as his concentration focused solely on the Titan who he trained. No… he was not going to burden himself with this facade anymore, he was not going to stand idly by and brush off the anger he felt that his student-no, his brother-lost friends. Every Guardian, every refugee in that barn understood that loss… and they were driven to avenge it. They sought to bring justice to injustice, not that they lost home, but because they lost loved ones.

They lost solace.

Avgust had lost it all.

"Ava?" Shaxx asked.

"What happened…?" Avgust demanded, ignoring his mentor as Aldwic continued to sob. Painful moments carried on, as silence choked the desperate crying of the young Guardian.

"A-a Primus… Kor'auth… he… he is looking for… he killed…"

"Someone get this Titan out of here," Hawthorne responded, "he needs some help."

"What is this Primus looking for?" Avgust ignored Hawthorne.

"I-I don't know… but the Cabal, they're looking for Vex tech…" Aldwic choked, "whatever t-they're looking for… it'll kill us all-"

"That is if the Red Legion doesn't do it here and now!" Hawthorne protested, "Avgust, you can't be serious to be considering this the most important thing now! We've got refugees coming in from all over the place! The City is gone! We can't afford any more-"

"I am going to Ganymede." Avgust replied.

The entire barn stirred up with mutterings as the Titan felt the final link that he tried so desperately to keep in one piece shatter as he pressed himself up from the table. All eyes were on him as he walked away from the place where he stood, Svarog chasing after him as he walked slowly out of the barn. Every single person in the chamber watched him as he walked away, moving out of his way as he headed for the doors. The chilling sensation that washed over him doubled, his ears ringing with something he did not quite understand… he knew that someone was yelling at him to return to his station and to assume his duty as if nothing had just happened.

As if Twilight Gap had not happened.

As if the Great Disaster had not happened.

As if the Moscow Incident had not happened.

As if the Black Day had not happened… nor the return of Crota, the Wolf Rebellion, the Taken War, the SIVA Crisis… as if he did not watch his friends and family stripped from him, one by one, time and time again. As if he did not put that aside every single time, as if he did not sacrifice and be brought down with the pain of loss and torment. No, he was needed to be a leader and an example… no, he was needed to be something more than he was every single day he walked.

Friends died? Ignore it.

His choices lead to their deaths? Ignore it.

Leader? What was it if it was not charitable? What was it if it was indifferent to the pain of those it represented?

No… he was not that. He should have never been.

Avgust stepped through the doors of the barn, perhaps doomed to never return. No…

He would not return.


End file.
